Charges Likely After Bomb Threat Cancels Classes At Prairie Grove School District 46

By Sam Borcia, the Lake & McHenry County Scanner

PRAIRIE GROVE, IL -- School officials said charges are expected as police continue to investigate a bomb threat that canceled classes Friday for students in Prairie Grove School District 46.

Prairie Grove Consolidated School District 46 Superintendent John M. Bute sent a letter to parents Thursday evening regarding the situation. District 46 includes Praire Grove Elementary and Prairie Grove Junior High School.

Bute said a district administrator received a threat Thursday evening against the school building and all persons in the building.

The threat was an emailed bomb threat, Bute said. The email indicated a specific time and manner for an event on Friday.

The Prairie Grove Police Department and the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office were notified and an investigation is ongoing.

The district canceled classes for Friday so a canine unit and multiple law enforcement agencies could search the school grounds, Bute said in an update Monday.

[Suggested Article] Six Flags Great America opens for the season with new improvements

The search took hours and officers were able to clear the buildings and buses.

Bute said no items were found that would be considered dangerous or harmful to students and staff.

School events that were scheduled for Friday were put on hold pending the investigation.

Based on interviews conducted throughout the weekend, the threat was deemed not to be credible.

Police are continuing their investigation into the origins of the threatening email.

“We fully expect to identify and seek charges against the person or persons responsible for the threat,” Bute said.

Lake and McHenry County Scanner is a local breaking news website covering issues that matter such as shootings, stabbings, house fires, kidnappings, car accidents, and more around Lake County and McHenry County.