‘No active threat’: Avenue City Elementary School placed on soft lockdown as precaution to reported threat

COSBY, Mo. (KQTV) -- The Andrew County Sheriff's Office said the Avenue City Elementary School was placed on a brief soft lockdown Thursday as a precaution to a reported threat involving prank phone calls.

The incident stemmed from a series of harassing "prank" phone call made by a group of middle school students to an unknown individual.

The calls had reportedly been occurring intermittently since December.

There was no active threat to students or staff, and as a result, the soft lockdown was lifted.

The Andrew County Sheriff's Office also reminded parents and guardians to speak with children about appropriate phone use and online behavior.

"What may seem like a harmless prank can quickly escalate into serious consequences," Sheriff Grant Gillett said in a Facebook post.