'Swatting' Call About LTHS South Campus

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Western Springs police received a "swatting" call Tuesday morning about Lyons Township High School's South Campus, authorities said.

"Swatting" is defined as a prank call to police in an attempt to bring out many armed officers to a particular place.

About 10:30 a.m., Western Springs police received a report of an incident on the campus, but it was determined to be a hoax, according to a police news release.

The school said it carried out a "soft lockdown" while police checked the building. That means students and employees continued their normal activities, but within locked classrooms and with hallways and other common spaces clear. North Campus was unaffected.

Police finished their sweep at 11 a.m. and gave the school the "all clear," prompting the soft lockdown to end, according to a school news release.

Western Springs police plan an increased officer presence at South Campus throughout the day.

"While we have been given the all clear, we acknowledge and understand that this type of incident is stressful to everyone and disrupts our sense of security," the school's superintendent, Brian Waterman, said in a statement. "We will have school social workers, psychologists, and counselors available for any student or individual who may need support at both South and North Campus."