Police investigate bomb threat at the home of Pope Leo’s brother

The Illinois home of one of Pope Leo XIV’s brothers was the target of a bomb threat, which was found to be unsubstantiated, police said Thursday.

The report came in at around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. New Lenox police said they initially responded to the bomb threat at the home of John Prevost, one of Leo’s older brothers, located about 40 miles southwest of Chicago.

Police officers secured a perimeter around the house and surrounding homes were evacuated out of an abundance of caution, New Lenox police said in a news release Wednesday. They conducted “a thorough search of the residence and surrounding property,” alongside specialized units that use explosive detection K9s, and determined the threat was “unsubstantiated and that no explosive devices or hazardous materials were present.”

No one was injured and evacuated residents were allowed to safely return to their homes afterward.

New Lenox Police Chief Micah D. Nuesse told NBC News in an email Thursday that an investigation to determine the origin of the report remains “active and ongoing.”

Read more: NBC News