SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- District administrators and school officials experienced first-hand what it was like for a rumor about a shooting to turn serious in a matter of hours.

That rumor that started Wednesday at Springfield High School was put to rest Thursday after investigators said the claims were unfounded.

But before closing the investigation, police said it was spiraled out of control when they first caught wind of it.  Officer Rick Lewis said students were texting, calling and telling others different versions of the story.

"It's like passing the secret around in a circle and what ends up at the end is completely different than what it started as," he said.

Lewis said it was quashed just as quickly as it began though.  He and another officer interviewed students, checked lockers and even some homes.  After not finding any evidence or weapon, they closed the case late Wednesday night.

The district's post-secondary education director Matt Coleman said he believes it was the strong relationship between students and staff that led investigators to the truth so quickly.

Coleman said, "Because it gets out there so quickly, it actually finds its way to our adults who will then follow-up which is, in this case, exactly what happend."

Even so, some students chose to stay home because of some concern over the threat.

Lewis said the student who made the threat has been arrested for disorderly conduct.  And school district administrators said the student also faces disciplinary action.