AMBRIDGE (KDKA) — Schools were locked down in Ambridge, after a perceived threat on a cell phone message.

Ambridge police say 19-year-old Travis Clawson had an eye appointment scheduled for today. When the receptionist called to confirm, she thought Clawson’s voice message said something to the effect of “I can’t come to the phone right now, because I’m going to kill all the (expletive) at my school.”

According to the Times-Online, the message was actually him singing part of the theme song to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air TV sitcom, “shooting some b-ball outside of the school.”

The paper says it’s not clear from listening to Travis Clawson’s phone message whether he inadvertently twisted the words or it just was misheard by the receptionist from his Sewickley eye doctor’s office who sent the day’s events in motion.

The Times-Online says that receptionist called Sewickley police, who then contacted Ambridge school officials. When Ambridge passed the information along to local police, a countywide schools lockdown was ordered because no one knew where Clawson was, and the 911 response system is designed to notify all schools of a situation.

Ambridge police say they called Clawson back, where he informed them he was in the school guidance office.

They surrounded the school, and arrested Clawson.

His locker was searched, but police say they didn’t find anything.

He has been taken to Ambridge Police for questioning but the newspaper reports he will not face any charges.

A statement released to parents by Ambridge Superintendent Erv Weischedel says, “while this situation can be considered to be a false alarm, it was an excellent opportunity to test our emgergency procedures.”

The Times-Online also spoke with Clawson’s father, Wendell Clawson, who told them, “An innocent young man was embarrassed. How is he supposed to go back to school and face his classmates?” Also that they family would be looking into legal action.

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More Ambridge News

The Times-Online Article

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