Frightening gunfire echoed thru the small community of Ottawa in Boone County.

Jessie White, 66, barricaded himself in his home and garage Wednesday, sometimes firing at deputies with his rifle.

Relatives said White was depressed and even suicidal over family problems and the anniversary of a loved one's death.

While shots were exchanged with deputies, the sheriff says a preliminary autopsy shows White killed himself.

The gunplay closed Route 17 and made it difficult to bus students to the Ottawa area from Ramage School a few miles away.

A teacher went on the bus with the student and got them something to eat or drink if they needed it during the ride. People let students use their home bathrooms if needed. School officials say the phone lines at Ramage got very busy making it tough to call parents at home.

A power failure in the county may have caused some phones not to ring and forced school workers to use emergency radios.

As of Thursday afternoon, Boone County School officials said they had received no formal complaints about the way they handled the busing of students.