GRANITE CITY, Ill. — A series of false threats to Illinois schools has put administrators, police, and parents on alert. One threat in Madison County led to an immediate and massive response from police.
Police vehicles are lined up along on Madison Avenue in Granite City, Illinois Wednesday morning. Bommarito Automotive Group SkyFOX Helicopter was over Granite City High School. Police vehicles can be seen blocking the entrances to the school.
Several medical helicopters and a SWAT Team truck are on the school’s campus. The school is on lockdown and no students or staff can be seen outside the buildings.
A statement from Granite City Community Unit School District #9 says that they were alerted to a possible threat. They took immediate action to make sure that students at Granite City High School and Coolidge Junior High are safe. Students will be sent home and parents should wait for a notification to pick up their child.
There have been several false reports of school shooters in the state of Illinois today. Reports are coming from Chicago, Rockford, Freeport, Dixon, and Winnebago.
Mount Vernon Police posted a Facebook status update about a prank at a high school in that Illinois town. A call was made about a possible armed person in Mt. Vernon High School. They were called to secure the school as a precaution. They also noted that there are several fake calls to high schools about threats across the state.
The cause of the threats or the source is not yet clear. Students have faced criminal charges for similar threats made in the past.
