Police said Tuesday an Evanston Township High School student lied to them about a man threatening him with a gun.

“EPD working with ETHS staff have confirmed that a false report was made by a student last week about a man with a gun near the school,” the Evanston Police Department tweeted.

Police said the student told them two men confronted him Friday afternoon as he left ETHS, 1600 Dodge Ave., and tried to arrange a fight at a separate location. While one of the men was speaking, he flashed the butt of a handgun underneath his shirt, according to the student.

The student’s mother reported the incident 40 minutes later, police said.

EPD Cmdr. Diane Davis said the student “exaggerated” the story and no weapon was ever displayed. She did not have any further information on how police learned the report was false.

— Patrick Svitek