Oak Lawn police on Friday said the threat directed at Kolmar School in Oak Lawn has been ruled a hoax.
Steven McNeela, Commander of Investigations, said in a email that the police investigation into the threat immediately identified a person of interest and additional resources were deployed to district schools as a precaution. The individual has been fully cooperative with the investigation.
At this time, it appears the individual was the victim of a “swatting”-type incident, in which some other person or persons used the victim’s identity to issue the threat.
The threat is currently considered unsubstantiated. The investigation into the origin of the threat remains ongoing.
All Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 schools were closed Friday after the district received a threatening message aimed at Kolmar Elementary School in Oak Lawn.
In a message to parents posted on the district website, Supt. Paul Enderle said the district received “a very serious and threatening message directed at Kolmar School.
“Out of an extreme abundance of caution, and in close coordination with the Oak Lawn Police Department, all District 123 schools will be closed today, Friday, January 30, 2026.”
Due to the emergency nature of the closing, there was no e-learning scheduled.
“We know this kind of message is upsetting,” Enderle wrote in an email to parents. “Our priority is the safety of students and staff, and we will continue to communicate clearly as we learn more. We will send another update later today, even if the investigation is still ongoing.”