MT VERNON, IL – Yesterday, the Mt Vernon Police Department received a false report of an active shooter at Mt Vernon Township High School on April 12, prompting a swift response from over 20 law enforcement officers from the Mt Vernon Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, and Illinois State Police.
The school was placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure, and officers conducted a thorough sweep of the premises.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department School Resource Officer, who was already on site, reported no issues at the school.
Authorities believe that the false call may have originated from outside the United States, as similar reports were made to numerous dispatch centers across Illinois that day.
Detectives are working with state and federal authorities to investigate the source of the false calls, and no injuries were reported during the incident.