Armed dad responds to hoax school shooter call: 'By the grace of god and a miracle, he survived'

NEWARK, Ohio -- A call into 911 Friday spoke of an active shooter inside a classroom at Licking Valley High School in Ohio and prompted a massive response, WSYX reported.

"It was a massive response. All of our available units responded. Some people responded from home," said Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp.

But, it wasn't just law enforcement who responded.

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"How that didn't turn out tragic.... We would never encourage anybody to do that in any way, shape or form," said Licking Valley Superintendent Scott Beery.

The Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas killed 19 students and two teachers. At least one parent became anxious after the controversial police response there and showed up to Licking Valley High School with his own rifle and vest with additional magazines for his gun.

"One of the biggest fears of a rural school district is, how quick is the response? How quick will law enforcement be there?" Beery said.

Beery said he showed up to the high school in three minutes of that first 911 call. More than 100 officers were on scene within 10 minutes. They demanded the armed father put down his weapon.

"He was immediately ordered on the ground. He complied. He sprawled out on the ground, identified, 'I'm here to help. I'm here to help.' They were able to detain him and verify that very thing," Beery said.

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Deputies said armed parents at such a scene only add confusion and take away resource meant for the initial threat.

It turned out the initial 911 call was a hoax, and there was no shooter at all.

The prosecutor decided not to charge the armed father with a felony of carrying a weapon on school property. A conviction for that dad could have led to one year in prison.

"By the grace of god and a miracle, he survived," Beery said.