School officials say a report of a shooting, which was actually fireworks, caused a lockdown and prompted a heavy police response Monday at Zion-Benton High School.
Zion-Benton Township High School Principal Dr. Chris Pawelczyk sent a message to all families Monday afternoon following the incident.
Pawelczyk said the school received notification of what sounded like gunshots inside the school.
The school activated its crisis plan and students were put into lockdown, Pawelczyk said. The Zion Police Department was called to the school.
Police and school officials completed a thorough check of the building and grounds. “I am pleased to report that the notification was not true,” Pawelczyk said.
A police investigation showed that students actually heard fireworks, not gunshots.
The shooting scare comes less than a week after a person was taken into custody for posting a shooting threat towards Zion-Benton High School on social media.
Police were notified of a “threatening statement” made on social media that mentioned the school.
Police said on Thursday that they identified the source of the post and took the person into custody “pending further investigation.”
The Zion Police Department said there was no longer a threat to the school after taking the person into custody.
A screenshot of the social media post was shared with Lake and McHenry County Scanner.
The threat was posted on Snapchat and included the caption, “If y’all go to Zion Benton chill. We coming to block a person [gun emoji] so if u there leave.”
Below the first caption was a second caption that added, “F–k you Z Mfs got going on?”
It is not believed last week’s incident and Monday’s incident are related.