‘We don’t believe she had any intentions of hurting anybody,’ sheriff says after report of student with gun on campus

LIVINGSTON PARISH, La. (WAFB) - A student at Live Oak Junior High School was taken into custody by law enforcement on Wednesday, Sept. 18 after she was allegedly found with a handgun in her possession on campus.

“Right now we’re still on the investigation and we don’t believe she had any intentions of hurting anybody,” said Sheriff Jason Ard, Livingston Parish Sheriff. “This was supposedly something she was going to use to hurt herself and that was it.”

The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed the school’s administration was notified by a student who was aware of the weapon. The administration immediately contacted the School Resource Officer, officials said.

The call from the administration was initially made around 7:55 am, and law enforcement officials secured the gun and removed the student from the student population within 5 minutes, according to LPSO.

“I don’t think they were showing it off. I think it was just a tip that came in. Maybe they saw it maybe they didn’t. I don’t really know how it came about. I just know that we got a tip from someone that gave it to the school resource officer and we went off that tip. It was legit, and we were able to secure it as quick as possible,” said Sheriff Ard.

At no time did the student threaten any other students or employees on the campus. The campus was on lockdown during the incident. Students are now proceeding with their normal schedule. The student is in the custody of law enforcement.

“It is very scary, and I’m speaking form a dad. Look it’s scary. You’re going to go back and replay that in your head thousands of times and say how could we have done it different. But at the same how do you create an atmosphere where a student doesn’t feel like they’re going to prison every time they go into this federal building. So, I get it. It’s kind of a back and forth but at the end of the day number one is going to be our kids safety.”

Once the law enforcement investigation is completed, the Livingston Parish Public School System will follow appropriate policy and procedure to determine further action.

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