Batavia High School Cleared After False Report Of Man With Rifle Entering Building

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police have given the all clear at Batavia High School, after investigating a report of a man dressed in all black entering the school with a gun, and determining it likely was just a student carrying a baseball bat or umbrella.

Batavia police said they received a call shortly after 6 a.m. that a male dressed in all black and carrying a backpack entered the school, and may have been armed with a rifle.

Police and school officials locked down the school while officers conducted a search, telling people to stay away from the area while police investigated.

Around 8:30 a.m., police said they had completed their search, and had not found a gunman.

"We've just finished a complete thorough search of the building, and were not able to locate anything," Deputy Chief Shawm Mazza said in a statement Monday morning. "At this point, in going back and looking at surveillance, it looks like the person that was probably picked out as going in with a rifle was a student, probably carrying a baseball bat, a baseball player carrying a baseball bat, or possibly an umbrella. So at this point, it doesn't look like there's any merit to this."

School officials later announced the school day would begin with third period at 10:50 a.m.

In:
• Batavia