Bloomington-Normal Police Launch Investigation After False Active Shooter Report at Bloomington Junior High
Bloomington police are investigating a false active shooter report at Bloomington Junior High School as a swatting incident. Multiple agencies responded Friday. No students were present.
A false report of an active shooter at Bloomington Junior High School triggered a multi-agency police response on Friday, prompting an investigation into what authorities are calling a "swatting" incident.
Bloomington police say officers received the initial call at 2 p.m. Friday. The Bloomington Police Department, the Normal Police Department, the Illinois State Police, and the McLean County Sheriff's Office all dispatched units to the school. Officers searched the building and found no credible threat.
No students were in the building at the time. Thursday was the last day of school for the year for District 87, according to a Bloomington police news release. Only a handful of school staff members were present.
"I would like to thank our officers, our emergency dispatchers, and the officers from the Illinois State Police, McLean County Sheriff's Office, and the Normal Police Department for their swift and professional response," said Chief Jamal Simington. "We also appreciate the cooperation and patience of District 87 staff during today's incident."
Police define swatting as a false emergency call designed to draw a large law enforcement response to a specific location. The source of the false report remains unknown. The investigation is ongoing.
What we know
- Incident type: False active shooter report, classified as swatting
- Location: Bloomington Junior High School
- Time: 2 p.m. Friday
- Agencies responding: Bloomington Police, Normal Police, Illinois State Police, McLean County Sheriff's Office
- Students present: No. School year ended Thursday.
- Suspect: Unknown. Investigation ongoing.
Who to contact
Anyone with information about the false report is asked to contact Detective Curt Maas at (309) 434-2534.
The incident comes on the heels of heightened school safety concerns across Illinois. Parents in the Bloomington-Normal area will want to know who made the call and why. Police have not released any details about how the false report originated.