Henry Vilas Zoo Evacuated Following Swatting Incident | The Locally Times
Madison police investigate a phoned-in threat that forced the closure of the facility on July 2, 2026.
On July 2, 2026, the Madison Police Department responded to a security threat at the Henry Vilas Zoo, located at 702 S. Randall Ave. Officers were dispatched to the site at approximately 1:40 p.m. following a report of a threat made over the phone. Authorities believe this event, categorized under case ID 2026-298142, was a swatting hoax. In response to the situation, zoo staff initiated an evacuation of the premises and closed the facility for the remainder of July 2, 2026. Law enforcement officials are currently seeking information regarding the incident and have directed the public to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014. The investigation into the threat remains active as of July 2, 2026.