Gun threat at Morton East HS in Cicero deemed unfounded after lockdown

CICERO, Ill. (WLS) -- Morton East High School in west suburban Cicero was on lockdown Tuesday morning after a student said he had brought an automatic weapon to school, officials said.

The school was on lockdown beginning at about 10:30 a.m., after a student reported another individual had told her he had an automatic weapon in his possession, Cicero Police Chief Jerry Chlada said.

Cicero police then conducted a thorough search of the school and concluded there never was a real threat to any of the students. The report of a student holding a weapon turned out to not be true, police said

"At no time were any of the students at Morton East in any danger," Chlada said. "But we don't take anything like this for granted, and we did a thorough investigation before concluding the reports of someone with a weapon were not true."

Chlada praised school officials for acting quickly and the student who brought the information to the school's attention.

This is a developing story; check back with ABC7 for updates.