Brookfield Zoo closed after ‘potential threat,’ all visitors, staff safely escorted out

Police mentioned at about 5:15 p.m. their west central dispatch obtained a name from a disaster intervention line to tell them a girl had known as and threatened to do hurt each to visitors on the zoo and to herself.

The zoo’s police drive reached out to Brookfield and Riverside police departments, because the zoo facility straddles each cities, who despatched officers in response.

Regardless of the vagueness of the menace, police determined to challenge a lockdown and shelter in place order out of an abundance of warning. They then labored to clear every public space and personal areas for workers, keepers and animal homes.

Shortly after 8 p.m. the zoo confirmed all guests and workers had safely exited the power. Zoo officers thanked everybody for his or her endurance and cooperation.

Police mentioned the zoo was not that crowded on the time the decision got here in because it was already set to shut at 6 p.m. Police mentioned they established the one who made the menace was not within the park, they usually don’t imagine there may be an ongoing menace to the zoo or to the encircling communities.