Multiple False Reports Of Illinois School Shootings Investigated: Cops

ILLINOIS — Police agencies around Illinois spent Wednesday morning dealing with multiple reports of school shootings in Chicago, Rockford and Granite City, all of which proved to be false, police said.

Rockford Police reported a “large police presence” at Rockford East High School after authorities responded to the school for a report of a shooting, police said in a social media post.

“At this time, we are working on confirming details, but it looks to be a false report,” police officials wrote.

The school was placed on lockdown after police cleared the building just after 8:30 Wednesday morning. Police have not released any further details other than to say the report was false.

In an update from Rockford East High School Principal Jim Parker, the school official wrote that all students and staff were accounted for following the report. He called the incident “the best-case scenario during what could be the worst day of our lives.”

Classes were canceled, but are expected to resume on Thursday, school officials said.

“We are grateful for the quick response from Rockford Police and the cooperation from our students and staff,” Parker wrote. “Again, this is the best-case scenario of a terrible situation."

In Chicago, reports of a shooting at Whitney Young High School also proved to be false, according to Chicago Police officials. In a letter sent to parents on Wednesday, school officials reported that they received reports of a 911 call made about an active shooter being inside the building at Whitney Young.

"We immediately engaged the Chicago Police Department to investigate this situation and the CPS Office of Safety and Security was also notified," the letter said. "CPD immediately responded and it was confirmed that the call was made as a prank. We have since been informed that prank calls have affected other schools in other cities around the country today, not just Whitney Young. At no point was there a safety threat to our school, and all of our students and staff are safe."

In Granite City, students were removed from Granite City High School, where school officials said they were investigating a threat, Fox 2 reported on Wednesday. Medical helicopters and SWAT vehicles could be seen outside the school, the station reported, and district officials said they were alerted to a possible threat at the school, but did not provide further details.

Fox 2 also cited false reports of school shootings in Dixon, Winnebago and Freeport.

The reported incidents come eight days after a student was criminally charged at Highland Park High School, where five students were questioned following reports of a gun being brought into the school building.

A handgun was discovered at an unspecified off-campus location, Patch reported last week.

A report that a student had brought a handgun into the school led to a lockdown that lasted more than 90 minutes, starting around 10:45 a.m. on April 4 — the nine-month anniversary of a mass shooting at the town's Independent Day parade and the date of a planned student walk-out demonstration against gun violence.