Scott City puts school on lockdown; officials say alleged threat 'not credible'

A rumored threat against Scott City R-I schools led to a Tuesday morning lockdown and a suspect taken into custody but no injuries, officials said.

Superintendent Brian Lee said in an email at 3 p.m. Tuesday that law enforcement agents contacted the school Tuesday morning regarding a rumor of a threat against the school.

Scott City�s elementary, middle school, junior high and high school are all on one campus on Main Street.

�We take all of these types of situations seriously and put the school into lock down� as a precaution, Lee wrote in the email.

An investigation by the school�s administration and law enforcement officials found no credible threat, Lee wrote.

Lt. Mike Culler with the Scott City Police Department said Tuesday morning the matter involves a juvenile and is under investigation, so the department is limited on what details it can release, but after a thorough investigation by the department, by the Scott County juvenile office and by the school, the threat was determined to be not credible.

�The children are safe,� Culler said. �There is no threat at the school.�

Parent Lahni Stevens said she�d received a text message from the school�s app at about 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. The text mentioned the threat and the lockdown, said law enforcement was on site and �everyone is safe,� she said.

At about 11 a.m., the lockdown was lifted, and classes resumed as normal, Lee wrote.

Some parents picked up their children from school Tuesday morning.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol assisted the Scott City Police Department at the school Tuesday morning, said Sgt. Clark Parrott with the highway patrol.

�In order to keep our school safe we encourage people to report to the school or law enforcement when they feel there is a danger to the school,� Lee wrote in his email. �The safety of the students and staff is our top concern.�

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(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

3000 Main St., Scott City, Mo.