'Several dozen' fake bomb threats made at schools across Indiana
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Indiana State Police are investigating dozens of hoax bomb threats against schools across the state, just days after schools in nearly two dozen cities in Illinois also received false threats.
"Early this morning, the Indiana State Police was made aware of an email message sent to several dozen Indiana schools threatening the use of explosive devices that had allegedly been planted on various school campuses," Indiana State Police said Friday morning.
However, no suspicious or explosive devices have been found in any of the schools, and Indiana State Police are continuing to work with federal, county, and local law enforcement officials to investigate the origin of the threats.
Police said individual school districts are making decisions about whether or not to hold classes on Friday.
"The safety of our children will always be a top priority, the Indiana State Police will continue to offer any and all resources we have to schools to ensure safety for our students," Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said.
Cedar Lake Police said approximately 40 schools across the state received emails, written in Arabic, claiming a bomb had been placed in a school, but no specific school was named.
The source of the email is still under investigation by local and federal authorities
Cedar Lake Police said they worked with the Hanover Community School Corporation to evacuate all schools in the district. A search of the schools turned up nothing suspicious, and students and staff were later allowed back inside.
"The Cedar Lake Police Department has no evidence this threat involved any specific Hanover School or any substantiated validation of this threat. The safety of our community and schools is our top priority and our response to this threat was immediate," Cedar Lake Police Deputy Chief Carl Brittingham said in a news release.
On Wednesday, a total of 21 false threats of active shooters were made in Illinois, including at Whitney Young High School in Chicago.
Illinois State Police said hoax threats also were made in Aurora, Champaign, Carbondale, Murphysboro, Mount Vernon, Vienna, Dixon, Decatur, Granite City, Collinsville, Centralia, Bloomington, Jacksonville, Peoria, Pittsfield, Eldorado, Springfield, Freeport, Marion, and Rockford.
Known as "swatting," fake threats of violence aimed at prompting a large police response have been on the rise across the U.S. in recent months, according to Illinois State Police.
"While state and national intelligence agencies have seen a pattern of these fake calls, each call is taken seriously," Illinois State Police said.