Filmmaker Charlie Minn is no longer scheduled to speak at Andrew High School and Tinley Park High School about his upcoming documentary on the Lane Bryant shootings.
Minn said he felt deceived after he confirmed the events with the schools and announced them to the public, but said plans were changed. He said he is “extremely confused and puzzled” about why plans were changed.
Minn forwarded the Daily Southtown emails from Tinley Park High School Principal Theresa Nolan stating “let’s plan on 10 a.m.” after he asked what time she would like him to speak with classes on Feb. 2. He said that he spoke with Nolan for more than an hour in person Jan. 20.
In the forwarded emails, Nolan also said she reached out to the Andrew High School principal to schedule him to speak with students there, too. Minn said he also confirmed with two Andrew High School teachers that he would speak with their classes, which included at least 55 students.
Minn said after he spoke with columnist Donna Vickroy about this event, Nolan asked him to change the event timing. In the forwarded email from Minn, Nolan wrote that she thought Feb. 2 would be a great day for the event but that coordinating the event with the other schools was proving to be difficult.
She offered for the schools to take students to see the movie when it came out in theaters and for him to speak to students afterward so they have more knowledge and exposure to the unsolved crime to help engage in a conversation, according to the forwarded email.
On Monday, before Vickroy’s column was published in the Daily Southtown announcing the events, Minn said Nolan sent him an email asking if the documentary disparaged the Tinley Park Police Department or its efforts on the case. She said she planned on reaching out to the police and mayor to ensure that everyone was on board with the school’s participation, according to the email provided by Minn.
“We have an amazing relationship with the TPPD and I do not want that damaged,” she said in the email.
Shortly after the column was published online Monday, Minn said Nolan sent an email canceling plans to have him speak to Tinley Park High School students because she said she was not notified that he would be mentioning the plans in the news. She said she told him she needed to gather more background before proceeding, according to the emails.
District 228 public relations specialist Yasmeen Sheikah said in a statement Wednesday that while the possibility of a visit at Tinley Park HIgh School was discussed and reported publicly, no plans or dates were ever confirmed, and the visit was never finalized or scheduled.
“After further consideration, we felt it would not be the best fit for Tinley Park High School,” Sheikah said.
Minn also exchanged emails with an Andrew High School teacher, and said the teacher confirmed Tuesday he would speak with the AP psychology class Thursday morning, and that school officials would meet him at the school entrance.
But a few hours later, Minn said Othman notified him the school decided against having him speak. Minn said her email said while school officials appreciate the opportunity, the school had “gone in a different direction with the structure and focus of the class.”
Minn said the principal also told him over the phone the event had to be canceled to due to an online threat.
District 230 communications director Jennifer Waterman shared an explanation from Andrew High School Principal Abir Othman, stating that while school officials appreciate the opportunity, the school decided to go in a different direction with the structure and focus of the class.
Minn said the cancellations are a disservice to the students and is costing them a valuable learning experience on a significant local story.
“I’m here to inform, educate and raise awareness, and its disappointing for the leader of the school to deceive me after booking me,” he said Wednesday.
Minn planned to speak to the students about his documentary on the shootings of five women that occurred in a Lane Bryant store in 2008, 18 years ago, before most of those high schoolers were born.
The case remains unsolved, and Minn said he hopes his documentary could spur “someone who knows something” to come forward and solve the mystery. He said the film includes interviews, a re-enactment and a review of the case.
Minn also interviewed the victims’ relatives, a former Lane Bryant employee who knew the lone survivor, a criminology professor and paramedics who were on the scene at the time. He secured licensed footage of the parking lot at the time of the manhunt.
The film documents the shootings Feb. 2, 2008, during which six women were ushered into the back of the store where they were brutalized, Minn said.
The store manager, McFarland, as well as an employee and four customers were taken to a back room. While the manager quietly placed a call to 911, each of them were shot.
Only the employee survived her shot wounds. She helped police develop a sketch of the suspect, which, along with the 911 recording, remains on the Tinley Park police website at www.tinleypark.org.
While Minn’s presentation to the high schools are canceled, he was still scheduled to speak to a UIC class Thursday, as of Wednesday afternoon. This is not open to the public or media.
The film is set to open in theaters on Feb. 13. Ticket sales are underway at AMC theaters in Crestwood, New Lenox and in Chicago’s River East neighborhood. More information is available at www.thetinley5.com.
awright@chicagotribune.com
