Caller Warned He'd Come With Rifle After Bombs At Hospital: NLPD

NEW LENOX, IL — A man was taken into custody and later released without charges, following a frightening bomb threat hoax at Silver Cross Hospital Tuesday night. Police are "investigating all possibilities" and determined the man had no clear connection to the threat.

A caller late Tuesday claimed that he had planted multiple bombs in Silver Cross Hospital, and threatened in a second call that after they detonated, he would come with a rifle, New Lenox police said Wednesday afternoon.

The first threat came just before 10:30 p.m., police said. Police were told that a male caller stated he had placed 12 bombs throughout the hospital campus and that they would detonate within 20 minutes.

The NLPD immediately requested assistance of bomb sniffing dogs, neighboring police departments and the New Lenox Fire Protection District.

The hospital was put on hard lockdown, and a perimeter was set up as police officers began to arrive from the Will County Sheriff’s Department, Frankfort, Mokena, Lockport, Romeoville, Illinois State Police, Joliet and Richton Park police departments. Bomb sniffing dogs from the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, the Will County Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois State Police also responded.

A coordinated search of the hospital by the responding officers, Silver Cross Security and the bomb detecting dogs was conducted of the campus. No explosives or suspicious items were located. While the search was being conducted, one male subject was taken into custody in the Emergency Room area of the hospital. The man was taken to the police department but later released without charges.

At approximately 1:30 a.m., the lockdown was lifted and all responding personnel left the scene. An investigation into the bomb threat remains open and ongoing, police said.

"The successful search of the entire Silver Cross campus was the result of officers from many different agencies working together quickly, thoroughly, and professionally," New Lenox Police Chief Louis Alessandrini said.

"The NLPD would like to thank the Silver Cross Staff and all the officers from the mentioned departments for their quick response."