RATHDRUM — The report of a man with a rifle led to the lockdown of schools and other facilities in and around Rathdrum on Wednesday morning.

However, the man was never found by law enforcement and the perceived threat was actually near Highway 53 and U.S. 95 east of Rathdrum, not in Rathdrum city limits along the railroad tracks near Washington and Main as originally thought.

"There was a miscommunication," said Tomi McLean, Rathdrum's interim police chief.

Lakeland High, Betty Kiefer Elementary, Mountain View Alternative High School, North Idaho STEM Charter Academy, Lakeland Junior High, John Brown Elementary, Garwood Elementary, the Lakeland Joint School District office and the district's maintenance and transportation facilities were locked down.

"The schools were locked down as a precaution because they are near the railroad tracks," McLean said.

Arround 9 a.m., a school bus driver called the district's bus barn to advise there was a male carrying a rifle. The employee at the bus barn in Rathdrum called 911 to report the information.

"Based on the information that the school district had, they put their schools into a lockdown situation," a Kootenai County Sheriff's Office press release stated.

Schools in Rathdrum were locked down about seven minutes, while Garwood Elementary was in lockdown mode for longer until law enforcement advised there was no credible threat.

The male who was called in as being suspicious was not located by the KCSO.

Lakeland School Superintendent Becky Meyer said the school lockdowns went according to safety protocol and the district is evaluating what improvements can be made for future incidents.

"It was noted that improvements on security cameras can be made," she said.