5 Students Arrested & More Are Expected Following Threat That Locked Down Opelousas High School
OPELOUSAS, La. (KPEL News) - Law enforcement authorities keep warning young people who are calling in bomb threats or writing threatening messages on social media that they will be caught and charged but it appears enough of them are still not listening.
The latest threat was made against Opelousas High School on Tuesday, January 17th. According to Opelousas Police, the campus was put on a temporary lock down as a precautionary measure "due to a threat of violence being called into the school." Basically, the caller indicated a shooting would take place at the school. Additional officers responded as enhanced security was provided for the remainder of the day. Once the lockdown was lifted, students were allowed to leave the campus.
Opelousas Police say investigators were able to trace the origin of the call which led them to five students who are accused of conspiring to make the threatening call.
And, more arrests are expected.
The accused students face a charge of Terrorizing, which is defined by LA RS 14:40.1 as:
Terrorizing is the intentional communication of information that the commission of a crime of violence is imminent or in progress or that a circumstance dangerous to human life exists or is about to exist, with the intent of causing members of the general public to be in sustained fear for their safety; or causing evacuation of a building, a public structure, or a facility of transportation; or causing other serious disruption to the general public.
The charge carries with it a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $15,000.