Chicago police investigate potential threat at Jones College Prep

CHICAGO - Chicago police responded to Jones College Preparatory High School on Wednesday after the school received an email containing language that resembled a potential safety threat.

The school was placed on a hard lockdown as a precaution while authorities investigated.

What we know:

According to Chicago police, there was a bomb threat and a threat about a person with a gun. 

Principal Kerry Dolan said the email came from an unknown source, prompting immediate notification to the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the Chicago Public Schools Office of Safety and Security.

CPD, SWAT, a bomb unit and additional officers responded and secured the school. 

Following a sweep of the school, CPD determined the threat was not credible. The lockdown was lifted. 

"We want to assure the public the threats were not BONA FIDE," said CPD Deputy Chief Joe Bird. 

What they're saying:

"There is no safety threat to our school, and all of our students and staff members are safe," Dolan said in a message to families.

"Anyone who makes a threat to the school, it's a very serious matter. It threatens the students, the administrators, the community," Bird said. "We had the resources on scene to clear this school and ensure everybody was safe." 

Additional CPD officers remained on-site during dismissal as an extra safety measure.

Local perspective:

The situation also gained attention on the Citizen app, a community-based crime tracking platform.

Dolan cautioned that information on Citizen may not always be verified by law enforcement and encouraged families to report any concerns directly to the school.

What's next:

With the situation resolved, after-school activities resumed as planned at 3:30 p.m.

Dolan thanked students and staff for remaining calm and following procedures, acknowledging that the incident was unsettling despite being a false alarm.