New Lenox police are investigating an emailed bomb threat to the home of Pope Leo XIV
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‘s brother, John Prevost, police Chief Micah Nuesse said.Police responded to the bomb threat at 6:29 p.m. Wednesday but determined it was unsubstantiated and said no explosive devices or hazardous materials were present. Specialized units, including the Will County sheriff’s office explosive detection K9, were brought in to assist.
No injuries were reported and nearby residents, asked to evacuate when the threat came in, were allowed to return to their homes.
“This is an active and ongoing investigation,” Nuesse said.
Prevost, the older brother of Pope Leo XIV, lives in New Lenox, and another brother, Louis, lives in Florida. The pope’s family is originally from Dolton.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump called the pope “weak” and “terrible” but said he favored Leo’s brother, Louis Prevost, whom he called “all MAGA.”
“I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!” Trump said in his social media message.
New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann said Thursday the threat was sent by email with a statement, but said he could not share details without hindering the investigation.
When asked if the bomb threat related to Trump’s comments against the pope earlier this week, Baldermann said it is hard to know the suspect’s motivation without speaking to the suspect.
“At this point, everyone knows it was a targeted threat,” he said. “Without knowing the suspect, or having the opportunity to speak to the suspect, we wouldn’t be able to really speak to the motivation.”
Baldermann said New Lenox police placed additional patrols on Prevost’s street, and he assured residents there are no additional causes for concern.
“No matter who the resident was at this type of thing, we would be taking the same actions,” he said. “So we’ve got a safe community, and I want to make sure that all of our residents can enjoy the quality of life that we have here.”
A few residents who live in Prevost’s neighborhood said Thursday they were not surprised by the threat due to Trump’s online comments. Barbara Thompson, who has lived in the neighborhood for 25 years, said she was alarmed and disappointed, though, that the threat affected her own neighborhood.
“(Trump) gets people riled up and upset,” Thompson said. “It’s too bad that this happened to John. I see him on walks and he seems really nice.”
Roger Davis said his wife received a call from an alarmed neighbor Wednesday night, reporting they were told to evacuate to Alex Martino Junior High School. But Davis said he and his wife were not given an evacuation order, and he said he wished he was at least given a stay in place order.
The neighborhood was quiet, sunny and dormant Thursday afternoon, with most neighbors still at work, Thompson said. One police car was parked near Prevost’s house, preventing people from approaching. The officer said Prevost did not want to be bothered.
The New Lenox Police Department said Wednesday investigators are working to determine the origin of the report. Police said making false reports of this nature is a serious offense and may result in criminal charge.
A spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Investigation office in Chicago said Thursday the FBI is aware of the threat and has been in contact with law enforcement, but referred all questions to New Lenox police.
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Police advised anyone with information to contact the New Lenox police at 815-485-2500 or submit an anonymous tip through the New Lenox website at www.newlenox.net and navigating to “report a crime tip” in the form center.
Gov. JB Pritzker said Thursday he was saddened to hear about the threat to the home.
“I can just tell you that the family members of people who hold high office, like of course the pontiff — family members suffer greatly, often from having attention put on them that maybe they weren’t really looking for,” Pritzker said.
“The level of rhetoric needs to come down. We’ve seen the president of the United States going after the pope — I mean, the leader of the Catholic Church, somebody who is a humanitarian above and beyond any politics,” Pritzker said. “What the pope wants is peace in the world and that’s what he’s advocating for, and the president apparently can’t handle that, doesn’t believe in peace for the world and is showing that by going to war in Iran, a war of choice by him.”
[email protected]. baiduhai reporter Olivia Olander contributed.