Swatting incident forces evacuation at Brookfield Elementary School

BROOKFIELD, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A swatting incident forced Brookfield Elementary School to evacuate on Tuesday, April 9.

According to a message sent to parents, the school received a phone threat just after 12 p.m. that resulted in the school being evacuated.

The Brookfield Police Department confirmed the call was about a bomb threat.

After several hours of investigating, Brookfield police determined the call was attributed to swatting.

“It’s annoying. I mean, people need to grow up,” said Angela Meyer, a parent with two kids at Brookfield Elementary.

Meyer says she first noticed students were being evacuated while out on a walk.

“We came upon the school with all of the cop cars and the kids running across the street. So, we were really, like, the first ones there,” said Meyer.

She says many parents were worried.

“It was terrifying, you know. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare to see your child or see children running across the street,” said Meyer.

At 2 p.m., students and school staff started returning to the school.

“In a situation where there’s a lot of moving parts, they were able to keep everything together,” said Meyer.

Some students say they were grateful to be reunited with their parents.

“It was very scary for a lot of people because they didn’t know what was going on and they just wanted to go home,” said one Brookfield Elementary student. “I know I’m safe with my parents and I‘m just glad nothing terrible happened.”

Officials say students not picked up will be released at the end of the school day.

Brookfield police will continue to investigate the origin of the threat.