Some exaggerated reports from the public may have created unnecessary panic in St Joe Thursday morning. But police and school officials took no chances, and kept students at one elementary school inside.

Commander Eric Protzman says officers were dispatched to the area near the Burger King restaurant on St Joseph Avenue and Highland shortly after 7 a.m. to the report of a juvenile with a gun in the area. Early indications were that the young runaway had fled west on foot in the general direction of Lindbergh School.

But Commander Protzman tells us there was no gun. “Officers were dispatched up there, there was a report of a gun, there was no confirmation that there ever was a gun,” Commander Protzman said. “The runaway was taken into custody.

“No gun was ever displayed. Nobody was ever threatened with a gun, and it would be our indication that there never was a gun involved.”

Protzman says early reports from the public may have been intended to bring police to the scene faster.

“Unfotunately sometimes people will call us with different information to try to expedite a police response, which is not always good. It creates panic throughout the community.”

Based on the earlier, exaggerated reports, officers made contact with officials at Lindbergh Elementary, who agreed to keep students inside. Commander Protzman says they’ve been given the “all clear.”

In a statement, St. Joseph School District spokeswoman Joey Austin also downplayed the situation.

“Police officers are responding to an incident in the vicinity of Lindbergh school. There is no threat to the school or the students, however as a precautionary measure students have been brought inside.”