A mandatory evacuation was ordered on Tuesday afternoon at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago’s Loop after a man armed with a knife threatened to harm himself in the building’s lobby, according to a report which cited authorities.
Staffers were instructed to leave the building around 2:30 p.m. as emergency personnel responded, as per Chicago Sun Times.
“There’s a male in the lobby with a knife to his throat threatening suicide,” a dispatcher announced over police radio during the unfolding situation, the news outlet reported.
The incident was first reported shortly before 11 a.m., when US Marshals warned the public to avoid the courthouse lobby at 219 S. Dearborn St. The building was placed on lockdown shortly after.
Brady McCarron, a spokesperson for the US Marshals Service, confirmed that “a male with a knife was in the lobby of the courthouse,” but stressed there was “no danger to [the] public.” He added that the lobby had since been “cleared.”
Orderly evacuation, no injuries reported
While no injuries were reported, precautionary measures were taken. At approximately 2:30 p.m., a judge’s deputy advised personnel on various floors, including the 5th-floor cafeteria, on how to safely exit the building. Groups of staff were later seen being escorted by marshals toward State Street.
Emergency services on standby
As the situation continued, a Chicago Fire Department ambulance was placed on standby. “Someone is threatening to harm themself,” fire department spokesperson Larry Merritt said.
FBI and local police also involved
In addition to US Marshals, spokespeople for the FBI and the Chicago Police Department confirmed that both agencies were responding to the incident.
The identity and condition of the individual involved have not been released, and it remains unclear what prompted the incident.
