Des Plaines

Maine West High School Evacuated After Possible Malfunction of Active Shooter Alarm

The department said it responded to the area for a report of shots fired, but the district said "no threat has been identified"

NBC Universal, Inc.

Maine West High School in Des Plaines was evacuated on Friday after an active shooter alarm was accidentally activated, NBC Chicago’s Stefan Holt reports.

Des Plaines police confirmed they were responding to an incident at Maine West High School and the school was evacuated Friday morning in what officials believe may have been a "malfunction" of an active shooter button.

The department said it responded to the area for a report of shots fired, but the district said "no threat has been identified."

"Officers are currently investigating this incident and the school has been evacuated," police wrote on Facebook.

Authorities said there were no reported injuries and urged residents to avoid the area "until further notice."

The district said the incident may have been related to "an accidental push of the active shooter button or a short in the system that caused that alarm to go off."

"However, we are going through all of the protocols to keep students and staff safe and the school is on lockdown," a spokesperson for District 207 said.

Just before 11:30 a.m., the district said all students and staff were safe and police had cleared the building but were "maintaining a perimeter around the school."

Parents were urged to pick up their children at a reunification point at 515 E. Thacker St. and school was canceled for the day.

Exit mobile version