The bomb threat was determined to be ‘unsubstantiated,’ according to law enforcement.
The brother of Pope Leo XIV was reportedly the victim of a hoax bomb threat in a suburb outside of Chicago, according to police and media reports.
The New Lenox, Illinois, Police Department said in a Facebook post on April 15 that it had responded to a “reported bomb threat at a private residence” in the Chicago suburb about 40 miles outside of the city center.
The statement did not identify the home as belonging to Leoʼs brother John Prevost, but local media reports said the target of the threat was Prevostʼs home. Public records indicate that Prevost lives on the street to which police responded.
Police evacuated nearby homes during their investigation and called in explosive-detection K9 units. “After careful examination, investigators determined that the threat was unsubstantiated and that no explosive devices or hazardous materials were present,” New Lenox police said.
The police noted that no injuries were reported but that the false bomb threat was “a serious offense and may result in criminal charges.”
New Lenox Police Chief Micah Nuesse told EWTN News via email on April 16 that the matter was an “active
