Voicemail Threat Prompts Police Presence At Batavia High School: District

BATAVIA, IL — Batavia High School remains open Thursday after the campus was among the latest to experience similar "swatting" incidents with unsubstantiated threats, the district said.

Just after 11 a.m., Batavia Public School District 101 said there was an increased police presence at the campus on Thursday after the district received a voicemail containing a threat directed at the school.

Police said the voicemail was "from an unidentified individual stating they would bring a firearm to the school."

District officials immediately reported the threat to police, who determined "there is currently no evidence of an active or credible threat to the school," the district said in a social media post.

As of early Thursday afternoon, "there is no evidence indicating an active or credible threat to the school," police said. "Out of an abundance of caution, there will be an increased police presence on campus for the time being."

The school was not on lockdown, and the school day was continuing as scheduled.

"Several area schools have experienced similar 'swatting' incidents in recent days, all of which have been determined to be unfounded," the district said. "Despite this, the Batavia Police Department and Batavia Public School District 101 are treating this situation with the utmost seriousness. Batavia Police Department is working closely with other law enforcement agencies to investigate these incidents thoroughly. The safety of our students, staff, and community remains our highest priority."

Other threats in Chicago area

One person was in custody Thursday after one such unsubstantiated threat at a Tinley Park middle school, police said. In that case, a message was circulating on TikTok threatening a shooting Thursday morning at the campus.

A similar incident happened Tuesday at Oak Forest High School after a call was made to the police department's non-emergency line, claiming that a suspect was in a bathroom at the high school with a gun and a homemade explosive. A SWAT team searched the school but found the threat and claim of an armed person on campus to be unsubstantiated.