Fake bomb threat clears Northbrook Court mall Sunday
A bomb threat hoax led to the evacuation of Northbrook Court mall in Northbrook Sunday afternoon, according to village officials.
Northbrook police officials characterized the incident that shuttered the upscale North Shore mall at 1515 Lake Cook Road as “swatting,” a term used for calling in fake emergencies that will send law enforcement rushing to the scene, usually a private home or business.
Around 4:20 p.m. on Sunday, police received a tip that assailants were headed to the mall with explosives. Officers in the area worked with mall security to evacuate the mall as other law enforcement agencies responded to the scene, according to a police department spokesperson.
It was unclear how many people were inside the mall at the time, but police found no threat at the property, which includes retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co.
No arrests have been made, authorities said.
A spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, which owns Northbrook Court, did not respond to an email for comment.
Last month, two suburban schools, Sandburg High School in Orland Park and Wheaton North High School underwent lockdowns after swatting calls threatening violence, according to media reports. In October, Wired magazine reported on a “swatting spree” affecting schools across the country.
