AMBRIDGE, Pa.—Talk about a bad rap: a western Pennsylvania county locked down its schools after a doctor's receptionist thought a student's voice mail contained a threat about "shooting people outside of the school" when it was really just the student rapping the theme song from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

The Beaver County lockdown happened Thursday after the receptionist called 911 after mishearing a line from the song which actually says, "And all shooting some b-ball outside of the school"—a harmless reference to playing basketball.

Economy police arrested the student, 19-year-old Travis Clawson, at Ambridge Area High School but let him go a short time later once he explained the message.

Clawson's family has contacted an attorney.

Acting police Chief James Mann says police acted "appropriately" because "our first concern is the safety of kids."