Police say no ongoing threat after Brookfield Zoo locked down, then evacuated

Visitors at the Brookfield Zoo had to shelter in place starting Tuesday afternoon after the zoo said it was notified of a "potential threat."

The zoo was closed early after it called the situation "developing."

Police said at about 5:15 p.m. their west central dispatch received a call from a crisis intervention line to inform them a woman had called and threatened to do harm both to guests at the zoo and to herself, according to a report by ABC 7.

Despite the vagueness of the threat, police decided to issue a lockdown and shelter in place order out of an abundance of caution. They then worked to clear each public area and private areas for staff, keepers and animal houses, the report said.

At 7:35 p.m., the zoo tweeted that Brookfield police and Brookfield Zoo police were releasing zoogoers building by building. Shortly after 8 p.m. the zoo confirmed all visitors and staff had safely exited the facility.

ABC 7 reported police said they established the person who made the threat was not in the park, and they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the zoo or to the surrounding communities.

• ABC 7 contributed to this report.