No gunman was found at Batavia High School after police responded to a report of a person with a rifle entering the building early Monday, closing the school and placing it on lockdown as officers swarmed the area.
Surveillance video later showed the person was actually a student athlete with a baseball bat sticking out of a backpack, Batavia police said in a statement released after an all-clear was given.
"Batavia Police always encourages residents who see something they find suspicious to call 911 immediately," police said in a statement. "Batavia Police welcomes the opportunity to investigate such calls to confirm or disprove a possible threat."
At around 6:03 a.m., police received a report of a male dressed in black and possibly armed with a rifle entering the high school, located at 1201 Main Street in Batavia, Batavia police said in a statement.
The school was evacuated and placed on lockdown at around 6:15 a.m., according to police, who urged all area residents to stay away from the area until further notice.
Batavia Public School District 101 tweeted just after 7 a.m. that no one was allowed in the building due to police activity and that all buses were not operating to Batavia High School.
"If your child has been picked up by a bus, they will be returned home," the district said, adding that all other schools in the district would be in session with bus service.
Nearby Holy Cross Catholic School, located at 2300 Main Street, posted online that the school would be starting late due to the situation at Batavia High School, with a start time yet to be determined.
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Batavia police remained on the scene, along with several other law enforcement agencies, including the Kane County sheriff's office for more than two hours. Officers were "clearning the interior of the building in search of the subject," Batavia police said in a statement.
Authorities said just before 8 a.m. that nothing had been located but that the search would continue "until the entire building is made safe."
City officials said at around 8:45 a.m. that no gunman was found and there were no reports of injuries.
