A bogus social media post claiming there was an active shooter at a downtown St. Charles hotel sent nerves jangling across the city midday Thursday, until police checked it out and confirmed there was no attack and no active shooter situation.
The rumor spread quickly across local scanner and neighborhood pages, alleging multiple shooting victims and touching off a wave of worry before officers verified the scene was secure.
According to Shaw Local, the St. Charles Police Department responded directly to the chatter, saying, “We do not have an active shooter. There’s no urgent situation or anything like that,” after reviewing the posts. One message, shared to a page called “Kane County IL Scanner Incidents,” falsely claimed there were “multiple shooting victims” on the 2900 block of East Main Street. The moderator later pulled the Facebook post. Shaw Local also reported that police did not disclose where the false information started or whether they might pursue any enforcement action.
Officials Urge Residents To Stick To Verified Alerts
In the wake of the scare, city officials are reminding residents to use official channels for urgent safety news and to sign up for the STC Alerts system instead of relying on social feeds that can spin out of control.
The City of St. Charles’ City of St. Charles STC Alerts page explains that emergency notifications are reserved for time-sensitive public safety situations and can be delivered by phone, text, or email to registered users, a setup officials say helps cut through misinformation.
What Illinois Law Says About False Emergency Reports
Under Illinois law, knowingly sending out a false report that can trigger an emergency response is illegal and can carry criminal penalties. The state Criminal Code’s disorderly conduct section, listed by the Illinois General Assembly, outlines offenses involving false alarms and bogus reports to public safety agencies, with penalties that vary based on how serious and consequential the false report is.
Police and the forum moderator moved quickly to get the misleading posts removed and to reassure the public there was no ongoing threat. Authorities are asking anyone with credible information to contact local law enforcement. As reported by Shaw Local, Joey Weslo posted the initial account.
