From a press release:
The Nixa Police Department received a report from a motorist, who witnessed a person, believed to be a male, dressed in a black hoodie sweatshirt, walking southbound from the intersection of Tracker / N. Main Street.

The witness report was that the male subject was carrying what appeared to be a rifle. The Nixa Police Department, The Christian County Sheriff's Department, and the Nixa R-2 School Resource Officers responded to the area.

The subject was located at the intersection of N. Main / Sherman. It was verified that he did not have any type of weapon. The subject reported that while walking, southbound on Main, he found a broken gun, believed to be a BB rifle.

The subject stated that there was not a stock on the gun, therefore he knew it was broken, and he threw the broken gun into the field. A search of the immediate area did not produce the broken weapon in question.

The Nixa Junior High School was placed in a "secure mode" for approximately 3-4 minutes, due to the proximity of the initial report, and the fact that the subject was walking south on Main Street toward Nixa Junior High School.