Suspect arrested after several Springfield schools lock down

Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield and several other schools went on lockdown Wednesday afternoon after officials received a threat.

A message posted to the college’s website stated that due to a “potential threat,” the entire Springfield campus is on lockdown. The message advised everyone to seek refuge in a locked office or classroom.

Emergency officials say a man known to them — Dustin Leer — made a threat to go to a Springfield college campus and begin shooting. The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security and Springfield 911 Emergency Center were made aware of the incident.

Springfield 911 Emergency manager Zim Schwartze told ABC 17 News the threat was not credible and there was no active shooter on any campus.

She says every school in Springfield was made aware of the threat and that each campus could decide whether or not to lock down.

Around 2 p.m., Ozarks Technical Community College posted on Facebook that the lockdown had been lifted and a suspect had been arrested.

Earlier Wednesday, a security officer on the Drury University campus received a report from a student that there were two white men who pointed a gun at him near the Trustee Science Center. However, that report had not been verified.

Affiliate KSPR-TV reported Drury University also sent out a campus alert, but did not go into a lockdown. Missouri State University also chose not to lock down.

In addition to Ozarks Technical, Evangel University went on lockdown. Springfield Public Schools placed several schools on lockdown, including Central, Pipkin, Boyd, Rountree and Weller.

Stay tuned to ABC 17 News and abc17news.com for the latest details on this developing story.