Threatening message at Elmwood Park High School investigated

ELMWOOD PARK, Ill. -- Police will have bomb-sniffing dogs and bomb technicians at Elmwood Park High School Friday morning after students found a threatening message scribbled on a bathroom wall Thursday, prompting authorities to cancel all after-school programs.

Several girls notified staff after they saw the message, "Tomorrow school will blow, Feb. 19, 10 a.m." written on the bathroom wall at Elmwood Park High School, 8201 W. Fullerton Ave. in Elmwood Park, according to River Grove Police Chief Rodger Loni.

School let out at its normal time about 3 p.m., but all after-school programming and sports were cancelled while police officers, school administration and custodial staff went through the entire building, Loni said. Authorities checked every area available, looking for anything suspicious, including abandoned backpacks or packages.

"Everything checked out fine," Loni said, adding that bomb-sniffing dogs will go through the school and sniff all the lockers Friday morning before the building is open.

As a precaution, the dogs and bomb technicians will also check everyone coming in and out of the school Friday morning.

Loni said police are considering the incident a "minimal threat, at most."

Source: Sun-Times Media Wire - Copyright Chicago Sun-Times 2016.)