Police and school officials said a misreported threat led to a brief lockdown earlier this month, prompting fast response and a list of fixes to improve communication.

At a Thursday, Oct. 30, community meeting at the Nolan Center, Police Chief Gene Meek and Schools Superintendent Joshua Garrett told about 25 residents that the incident began around 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, when a parent received a spoofed phone call claiming her daughter had been abducted.

The scam caller demanded $30,000 and threatened violence at the high school, including a shooting and organ harvesting. The parent drove to the school, where staff confirmed her daughter was in class and safe.

“This was an attempted extortion,” Meek said. “We moved quickly, put out a public notice, and worked to calm fears.”

The chief later said the investigation is ongoing and the individual who made the call has not been identified.

No credible threat was found, but inaccurate information spread anyway, officials said. Meek said a rumor reached a parent that an active shooter was headed to Evergreen Elementary.

“What ended up happening was like an REO Speedwagon song — someone heard it from a friend, who heard it from a friend, who heard it from another friend,” Meek said. He added that police should have given the student involved time to calm down before returning to class to avoid fueling texts and rumors. “We dropped the ball on that.”

Meek and Garrett said the response also showed strengths. Officers arrived quickly and used drones to assess any possible threat. School staff kept students calm and followed procedures, they said.

Kimberly Powell, the school district’s administrative assistant, outlined the difference between a “stay put” order and a lockdown. A “stay put” means remain in place for issues like a bear on campus, she said. A lockdown means there is a potential threat and no one enters or leaves while police assess the situation. In an active shooter case, students would not be gathered in one location, she said.

Garrett urged parents to avoid rushing to the schools during emergencies.

“When a decision to lock down is made, it’s because there is an imminent threat,” he said. “As a parent, I understand the urge to rescue my child, but the last thing you should do is come to the school. You will not be allowed in.”

Instead, he said, call 911 to report credible threats and stay where you are.

Both officials said additional training is scheduled, with more planned. Meek acknowledged that communication is often the hardest part of fast-moving events.

“There will always be incorrect information spread and people who feel they didn’t get updates fast enough,” he said. “We’re looking at the best ways to fix that.”