More Bomb Threat Texts Sent To Oak Lawn And Palos Students

OAK LAWN-PALOS, IL — Another round of unfounded threatening texts were sent to students at multiple south suburban high schools Monday morning. The texts appear to be from the same anonymous phone number from similar texts sent last week, which contained bomb threats.

Students at five different high schools in Oak Lawn, Burbank, Palos Hills and Palos Heights started receiving the disturbing text messages around 10:40 a.m. The FBI has now joined the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and local police departments in evaluating the texts, which have been deemed “unfounded.”

Cook County Sheriff’s Police, which has jurisdiction over one of the high schools mentioned in Monday’s text threats, said in a written statement that they are “working with school officials, local law enforcement agencies, and the FBI to evaluate the threat and ensure the school is secure for students and faculty. The threat reported by is similar to threats received last week by other area suburban high schools that were determined not to be valid.”

>>> Oak Lawn Community, Stagg Students Receive Bomb Threat Texts

CHSD 218, OLCHS Dist. 229 and CHSD 230 placed their school buildings on soft lockdown Monday, allowing students to change classes but limiting movement within buildings and outdoor access, officials from each district said.

On Friday morning, students at Stagg and Oak Lawn Community high schools reported to administrators receiving text messages that bombs had been placed in the buildings. Dist. 230 placed Stagg, Sandburg and Andrew on soft lockdown, while OLCHS dismissed classes Friday morning.

Similar to the text messages from last week, Monday’s round contained the same misspellings and run-on sentences, as well as vague descriptions of dean’s office staff.

In one of several statements to OLCHS students Monday morning, Principal Dr. Jeana Lietz said once the person who has been sending these threats has been found, “they will face multiple charges from the police, and if it turns out to be an OLCHS student, they will face recommendation for expulsion to the Board of Education.”

Lietz and Stagg High School Principal Eric Olsen also implored students to stop screenshotting or fowarding the threatening messages.

“This helps create hysteria and spread false informaiont. You can also be charged with school or police action for knowingly spreading these false rumors,” Lietz said

Students are encouraged to “Say Something” and report to school officials if they receive suspicious texts or social media messages. Anyone with information about the texts’ origins should also call their respective local police department or 911.

Police in affected communities, including a junior high school in Chicago Ridge, are taking measures to ensure the safety of schools for students and staff.