NEWS RELEASE

RIVERSIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT 31 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546

21 February 2014
Contact:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Thomas Weitzel
tweitzel@riverside.il.us

708.447.2127

Follow RPD on Twitter @pdriverside

RIVERSIDE POLICE PUT HIGH SCHOOL IN SOFT PRECAUTIONARY LOCKDOWN

Anonymous threat received detailing possible shooting of student at high school prompts police to place school on soft lockdown

On Friday, February 21, 2014, at 1:32 PM, the Riverside Police ordered Riverside Brookfield High School into a precautionary soft lockdown. Earlier in the day, the Brookfield Police Department had received an anonymous phone call stating that a student at the high school would be shot. The anonymous phone call stated the subject would be armed with a handgun and would be going to the high school to shoot students. The exact date or location was not given in the anonymous phone call. Brookfield Police then immediately notified Riverside Police because Riverside Brookfield High School is within the jurisdiction of the Village of Riverside. Riverside Police immediately contacted Riverside Brookfield staff members and jointly initiated the pre-planned precautionary lockdown. The soft lockdown meant that no students, staff, parents or any vendors would be allowed in and out of the school without police escort. Riverside Police Department immediately called for the assistance of the Brookfield Police Department, Lyons Police Department, Brookfield Zoo Police Department and

the North Riverside Police Department. time.

The Riverside Police Department's

pre-planned emergency response plan for a soft lockdown was initiated for dismissal

Riverside Police had a large presence at the school at dismissal time. The dismissal went off as usual with no problems. Riverside Police had put out an emergency notification message to parents as did Riverside Brookfield High School earlier in the afternoon detailing the soft lockdown. Riverside Brookfield High School does have nighttime sporting events scheduled for Friday night. As such, the Riverside Police Department has taken extra precautions to provide police for both sporting events scheduled for Friday night. Police will have a larger presence at Riverside Brookfield High School throughout the entire evening until the conclusion of the sporting events. Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel stated, I want to reiterate that all the actions taken today are precautionary in nature and that was done to ensure the safety of students, staff and any vendors that may have been coming in and out of the school. Police initiated their soft lockdown, which has been practiced with school staff numerous times over the last several years. The soft lockdown went on without any problems. Once Riverside Police became aware of the threat from the Brookfield Police Department, we took immediate action to ensure the safety of the students including ordering all police personnel from day shift and afternoon shift to be at the school during dismissal time. Police and school staff worked jointly to coronate a comprehensive respond to the situation. Riverside Police are now jointly investigating the anonymous tip with the Brookfield Police Department. As the call was received by the Brookfield Police, they will play an active role in this criminal investigation. Police are actively looking for the suspect who made the call to Brookfield Police at this time.

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