Dixon schools field shooting threat Thursday; students made call ‘as a joke’: Police

DIXON – Dixon police say Dixon students are responsible for a threatening phone call made Thursday morning to Reagan Middle and Madison Elementary schools.

The call came in to the schools at 7:41 a.m. and the caller, who sounded like a young male, said, “Get ready for a school shootout today, bye,” Dixon Police Chief Steven Howell said.

School staff members were quickly alerted as to who may have made the call, and within a couple minutes, the school resource officer and staff identified a Madison Elementary School student as the caller, Howell said. He initially said two other students also were identified as possibly being involved. The number of students involved was reduced to two later Thursday morning, Dixon Schools’ Superintendent Margo Empen told Shaw Local.

While speaking with the students as to why the call was made, police were told they were “just joking,” Howell said. No weapons were found on the students or at the school.

Howell said police will continue working with Dixon Public Schools’ administration and the Lee County State’s Attorney’s Office regarding the call.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank those individuals that came forward with the information in regards to who the possible individual[s] were that made the threatening telephone call to the school,” Howell said.

Police are asking anyone with any information to contact the Dixon Police Department at 815-288-4411.