Possible Threat Made At Queen of Martyrs Mass, Cops Investigating

EVERGREEN PARK, IL -- Evergreen Park police plan to increase their presence around area schools following a disturbance Friday morning when a “mumbling and swearing” man was reported to have made a threatening statement during mass at Queen of Martyrs Church. The parish’s elementary school as well as other area have been notified. Police will remain near all neighborhood schools and the Evergreen Park Community Center throughout the day.

Around 8:20 a.m. Friday, police said a man walked through Queen of Martyrs Church at 10233 S. Central Ave, which sits on the border of Evergreen Park and Mt. Greenwood. He came into the church and started talking to himself, mumbling, that he could shoot everyone. Witnesses said the man left the church.

Police said that a churchgoer was unable to provide a description of the man. Evergreen Park police were not notified of the incident until 9:28 a.m., about an hour after it happened.

In an email to parents that was shared on a neighborhood Facebook group, Queen of Martyrs School principal Kathleen Tomaszewski said they were told by police that there was no immediate threat and the school did not need to be on lockdown.

“I have been told that there will be increased police presence all day, including at school dismissal,” the principal said.

Captain Peter Donovan, of the Evergreen Park Police Department, said police were told of a white, homeless man who has been recently been seen in the area.

“We have no information connecting him to this because the witness has no further description and can not identify the subject,” Donovan said.