A Zoo Near Chicago Imposed Lockdown After Receiving a Potential Threat Call

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A zoo outside Chicago received a warning of a potential threat and informed its visitors to find a safe place. This warning came on the creeps of a parade execution in an adjacent neighborhood. On Tuesday evening, the Brookfield Zoo Twitter account said it has taken essential measures in response to the unidentified threat. However, the zoo authorities haven’t yet disclosed the circumstances.

It is important that a gunman opened fire on the 4th of July parade in the Chicago neighborhood of Highland Park. The location is around 30 miles from Brookfield and around 7 people were killed and 30 injured in this incident. Zoo officials said on Twitter that it asked visitors to find a safe place. They were advised to follow guidance received from emergency responders and police.

The zoo officials again went on Twitter after one hour and said they have closed all zoo doors. However, the zoo authorities were working with the Brookfield Police Department. They asked visitors to remain in a safe place as they are investigating the situation across the park and its nearby areas. The official public safety Twitter account of Brookfield also tweeted at 7 pm.

The Caller Threatened to Harm Visitors at the Zoo

The Twitter account said the presence of police at the Zoo is out of a prevalence of vigilance for visitors and the nearby areas. Brookfield Zoo Police and Brookfield Police Department are continuously cleaning the premises and releasing zoo operators. Zoo officials said please remain calm until law enforcement release you if you are on site.

Moreover, the Brookfield Zoo authorities and city police department tweeted at 8 pm that they have cleared the zoo. Zoo Police Chief Mike Pendola informed a news outlet that emergency correspondents received a call from a crisis-intervention line. The caller threatened to harm guests, visitors, and themselves at the zoo.

50 Police Officers Responded to the Zoo

However, information from the call was unclear but sufficient for the officials to impose a lockdown of the zoo. Police issued a clearance report after completing a search over the next several hours in collaboration with Brookfield and Riverside police. Authorities said the person wasn’t in the park when he made the call and they didn’t find any active threat.

On Tuesday evening, Riverside Director of Public Safety Matthew Buckley issued a press conference. He said at least 50 officers immediately responded to the zoo from neighboring areas. Police professionally and efficiently started searching after the zoo into lockdown. They started checking every building’s security and evacuated visitors with safety measures.

The Initial Report Says the Caller Was a Female

Buckley said the zoo wasn’t an easy place to search and handle a critical incident. The zoo contains a large number of animals and some of those animals are considered more dangerous. So, police initiated a search in coordination with zoo staff to assure the safety of officers. The police department has launched an investigation to discover the person who made the threat call.

FBI is also assisting the investigation and the initial information said the caller was a female. Buckley said the Highland Park shooting incident was still in the minds of our people. The officers had an excellent response of resources to the call and it was supposedly an overflow of caution. He said he is hopeful the guests aren’t concerned as the zoo is secure and is a safer place to visit.