School threat scare tops list of most-read local stories in 2021
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The year 2021 was one of turmoil.
From prominent shootings in Columbia to school threats to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the year was rocky at times. And the most-read local stories on abc17news.com reflected that year.
TikTok 'threat challenge' scares schools
Just this month a scare on the popular social media platform TikTok affected students, parents and administrators.
Word began to spread on the platform that violence would take place at schools on Dec. 17, even though no actual threat was found on the platform. At least one local school closed after administrators say they found a threat written on a bathroom stall.
The scare happened just days after a teenager killed four people at a Michigan high school.
Missouri Capitol evacuated
This story-that-wasn't ended up getting lots of page views.
On Feb. 22 legislators who were in the middle of the people's business were rushed from the Capitol when an alarm went off. It was because of a malfunctioning detector.
Crime of passion?
Prosecutors charged a Columbia man in February on claims that he ran over a bicyclist in a confrontation connected to a missing dog.
Fire district assistant chief killed on duty
One of the year's biggest stories happened near 2021's end.
Last week Bryant Gladney, an assistant chief in charge of emergency medical services for the Boone County Fire Protection District, was killed when a tractor-trailer slammed into his SUV at the scene of a previous crash.
Gladney was the first Boone County firefighter killed in the line of duty.
Politicians react to highway patrol tweet
A tweet by the Missouri State Highway Patrol attracted the wrong kind of attention in July.
The patrol tweeted a headline about a girl drowning in floodwaters as an example of why drivers shouldn't drive into standing or rushing water. The backlash was swift and intense and the tweet was deleted.
Two shot after MU Homecoming
The shooting of two people in downtown Columbia the night of the University of Missouri's Homecoming game was part of a string of gun violence that caught the city's attention in the fall.
That string included multiple people injured and two killed in a shooting outside a downtown nightclub.
January snow storm
A mid-January snowstorm caused low visibility and slick roads when it came in the middle of the day.
Memorial Day weekend shooting at the lake
Some Memorial Day revelers at a popular Lake of the Ozarks party spot had their weekend interrupted by a shooting.
One person died in the shooting at Lazy Gators. Months later, another shooting -- this time between biker clubs -- made headlines at the lake.
Protesters mass outside fraternity after alcohol poisoning
Protesters gathered outside a University of Missouri fraternity in October after reports surfaced that a student had been hospitalized with alcohol poisoning.
The incident led the university to temporarily suspend all fraternity activities.
Authorities tie Lake of the Ozarks shooting to biker clubs
The Lake of the Ozarks saw another deadly shooting in July.
Investigators say the violence started with a beef among motorcycle clubs. Two men have been charged in connection with the violence.
