13-year-old shoots father outside Louisiana school; stopped by officer before entering building
A 13-year-old student shot his father outside an alternative school in Hammond, Louisiana, and then walked toward the building with a handgun before an officer disarmed him and took him into custody, according to officials. The vehicle carrying the student, his father and another child then crashed into a home.
The shooting happened at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at Tangipahoa Alternative School on Crystal Street in Hammond, a city in southeastern Louisiana about 45 miles northwest of New Orleans, according to Police Chief Edwin Bergeron.
Bergeron said the incident began when a parent drove a child to school but the child refused to get out of the car in the drop-off line. A school worker asked the officer on campus to speak with the parent and child because of the disturbance, and the parent then decided to take the child home.
As the car drove away from the carpool line, a shot was fired, Bergeron said. The vehicle then sped across the street and crashed into a home.
The passenger, identified as a 13-year-old student, got out with a handgun and began moving toward the school.
“This shooter was approaching the school,” Bergeron said. “We don’t know what his intentions were. We don’t know if he was going to take it further.”
Police said the officer on campus, identified by Bergeron as a lieutenant with more than 20 years of experience, moved between the student and the school, disarmed him and took him into custody. Responding officers were on scene within about a minute.
“He may have thwarted something much worse by doing so,” Bergeron said. “I can’t say how proud I am of not only that lieutenant… but all the other detectives and officers that arrived on scene and even the school personnel.”
Bergeron said the father was initially listed in critical but stable condition and was later reported stable. He said the handgun was recovered and investigators were trying to determine how the 13-year-old obtained it.
Police said a 5- or 6-year-old child who was also in the vehicle was not hurt and was released to a family member. The house struck by the vehicle was occupied, but no one inside was injured.
Bergeron said detectives were still interviewing the juvenile suspect and had not determined a motive. He said the suspect will be processed and taken to the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center.
School superintendent officials said the school, which serves students sent there for disciplinary reasons, has about 250 to 260 students. The superintendent said the lockdown was issued in less than a minute and all students were inside classrooms with the doors locked.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
