Suspicious person prompts lockdown at Mundelein middle school

MUNDELEIN, Ill. (STMW)  - A suspicious person prompted a lockdown during an ongoing drill Thursday morning at a middle school in north suburban Mundelein.

The annual lockdown drill was underway at West Oak Middle School at 500 Acorn Ln. in unincorporated MUNDELEIN when a sheriff’s detective saw a man walking out of a school bathroom, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office. The man was not known to school staff.

About 10 a.m., the school went into a hard lockdown and authorities conducted a search of the school, according to the statement. As a precaution, other schools in districts 75, 76 and 120 were placed on a soft lockdown until West Oak was deemed safe.

The man was not found on school premises. He was described as man about 30 years old with dark skin, about 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, with short black hair and wearing a dark green winter jacket.

The lockdown was lifted about 11:30 a.m. Sheriff’s detectives are working to identify the man.