Police investigate bomb threat at the home of Pope Leo's brother

U.S. newsPolice investigate bomb threat at the home of Pope Leo's brotherThe incident comes amid a brewing feud between President Donald Trump and the first American pontiff over the war with Iran.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00John Prevost, brother of Pope Leo XIV, holds a portrait of the three Prevost brothers from 1958 at his home in New Lenox, Ill., last year. From left, Robert (Pope Leo), 3,  John, 4, and Louis, 7.Obed Lamy / AP fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 16, 2026, 1:38 PM EDTBy Nicole AcevedoThe Illinois home of one of Pope Leo XIV’s brothers was the target of a bomb threat, which was found to be unsubstantiated, police said Thursday.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The report came in at around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. New Lenox police said they initially responded to the bomb threat at the home of John Prevost, one of Leo's older brothers, located about 40 miles southwest of Chicago.Police officers secured a perimeter around the house and surrounding homes were evacuated out of an abundance of caution, New Lenox police said in a news release Wednesday. They conducted "a thorough search of the residence and surrounding property," alongside specialized units that use explosive detection K9s, and determined the threat was "unsubstantiated and that no explosive devices or hazardous materials were present."No one was injured and evacuated residents were allowed to safely return to their homes afterward.New Lenox Police Chief Micah D. Nuesse told NBC News in an email Thursday that an investigation to determine the origin of the report remains "active and ongoing."NBC News reached out to Prevost on Thursday, but did not immediately hear back.New Lenox police warned in their news release Wednesday that "making false reports of this nature is a serious offense and may result in criminal charges" and encouraged anyone with information about the incident to contact their o...