Rumors spread the Coalmont community last night and early today, alerting parents to what was described as a threat by a man to "shoot up" the school.
With the tragedy at Sandy Hook school fresh in everybody's mind, parents could not ignore a story like that, even if there was little evidence it was true.
Coalmont elementary was on lockdown this morning, as sheriff's department units drove up and down the main road.
Inside we're told, school was going on as usual, at least for those students who were there.
MELODY SWEETON, COALMONT MOTHER "I had just got on the computer this morning before school and saw what people had put on facebook and I just decided it wasn't worth a chance..decided to keep my son at home ."
Facebook messages like these that spread in the last 24 hours spoke of a possible shooter at Coalmont. One person even told of talking to police and being told that one person was in custody. That never happened.
What did happen was, three weeks ago by a man was angry that his grandson was being picked-on at school.
SHERIFF BRENT MYERS, GRUNDY COUNTY "That led him to make a phone call to one of the secretaries at the school..and tell them that those situations were what caused people to come into the school with guns and shoot everybody."
Sheriff Myers says the man was dealt with. He says it was a vague threat and no charges have been filed against the unidentified grandfather, but he has been told to stay away from the school.
Meanwhile, an angry director of schools, Joel Hargis issued a news release late in the day accusing some local residents of spreading baseless rumors.
Hargis said "These fear-mongers are little better than the deranged shooter who took so many innocent lives last week, for they intentionally spread panic at a time when we are so mindful of how vulnerable we all are. "
SHERIFF BRENT MYERS "We went to the schools, even though the matter had already been taken care of, we took every precaution that we could take...we had officers at every perimeter of the school." "Everything we're trained to do..we did."
Sheriff Myers says even though there was no actual threat this time, his officers are trained to handle situations like this.
One such security meeting took place last week, before the tragic shootings in Connecticut.
