Police were called after a person falsely reported a bomb had been placed in Lake Forest High School and other callers falsely reported “active violence” inside the school Wednesday morning.
The Lake Forest Police Department said dispatchers received a bomb threat around 10:40 a.m. Wednesday.
The caller stated there was a bomb placed in Lake Forest High School’s East Campus, according to Lake Forest Deputy Police Chief Kevin Zelk.
The school resource officer inside the high school was notified and additional Lake Forest police officers responded.
Officers and school officials were in the process of searching the school when dispatchers received additional calls.
Two telephone calls came from out-of-state callers reporting active violence taking place inside the school, Zelk said.
Zelk said the information was immediately determined to be false.
Lake Forest High School and surrounding area schools were placed on limited lockdowns as a precaution.
The lockdowns were lifted after discussions with District 67 and 115 administrators, Zelk said.
Investigators believe the calls were a “swatting” incident and there is no legitimate threat to the schools or the public.
Swatting is the action of making hoax phone calls to report serious crimes to provoke an emergency response.
Zelk said a preliminary investigation revealed the phone numbers used are associated with other hoaxes throughout Illinois.
“These types of calls are becoming increasingly more common,” Zelk said.
Several hoax calls were made in Highland Park last month at Red Oak School.
Several libraries have additionally been the victim of false bomb and false active shooter threats in the area.
