Illinois’ New Lenox Police Department announced late on Wednesday that officers had responded to a reported bomb threat at a private residence on Sojourn Road. WMAQ-TV reported that the home belongs to retired educator John Prevost, one of Pope Leo XIV’s older brothers.

According to police, officers arrived on the scene around 6:30 p.m., established a secure perimeter, and ordered the evacuation of surrounding homes.

‘I no longer answer the phone.’

Specialized units, including the Will County Sheriff’s Office explosive detection K-9, aided in an examination of the property that turned up no signs of explosive devices or hazardous materials.

“Making false reports of this nature is a serious offense and may result in criminal charges,” said the NLPD.

Authorities are investigating the bomb threat.

John Prevost revealed to WMAQ in August that many had begun treating him as a proxy for his brother in Rome, noting that he was, for instance, receiving letters daily containing prayer requests.

RELATED: Pope responds after repeated attacks by Trump over war criticism: ‘I have no fear’

L-R: Nathan Howard/Getty Images; Yara Nardi/POOL/AFP/Getty Images

“I no longer answer the phone unless I know who it is,” he added.

The fake bomb threat comes just days after President Donald Trump attacked Pope Leo over his criticism of the U.S.-Israeli military actions in and around Iran, writing on Truth Social, “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.”

In the post, Trump also mentioned the pope’s other brother.

“I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA,” said Trump. “He gets it, and Leo doesn’t! I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”

Criticism of the pope, especially by certain elements on the right, spiked in the wake of Trump’s message and Leo’s response. “I do not think the message of the gospel should be abused as some are doing. I continue to speak strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, dialogue, and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems.”

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Local police are investigating a murder-suicide involving a Democrat who was once second in command in Virginia.

Shortly after midnight on Thursday, Fairfax County police responded to a 911 call at a home in Annandale, Virginia, finding an adult male and female deceased. The victims were later identified by police as Democrat former Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, 47, and his wife, Cerina, 49, who were reportedly going through a divorce.

His campaign was heavily eclipsed by sexual assault allegations.

The couple’s son and daughter were at home at the time of the murder-suicide but were unharmed.

“Shortly after midnight, officers responded to the 8100 block of Guinevere drive in Annandale, where they located an adult male and an adult female deceased inside of a residence,” Captain Chris Cosgriff said in a video statement on the scene.

“Preliminarily, it appears that the adult male shot the adult female before shooting himself in a domestic-related incident.”

RELATED: Speculation mounts over mysterious deaths and disappearances tied to US space and nuclear program

Fairfax served as Virginia’s lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022 under then-Gov. Ralph Northam (D). Fairfax launched his own bid for governor in 2021, but his campaign was heavily eclipsed by sexual assault allegations from two women.

Fairfax vehemently denied the allegations and maintained that their relations were consensual. Despite his denials, Fairfax finished in fourth place in the Democratic primary.

This is a developing story.

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