14-year-old to face terrorizing charges for Hammond school threat
HAMMOND - Authorities said Tuesday that a 14-year-old in Hammond will face terrorizing charges for a threatening social media post.
Hammond Police Chief Roddy Devall and Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards said they believe the boy made the post as a prank, but will have to face the consequences of his actions.
Devall said the FBI contacted his department about the post, which was a cartoon character holding an AK-47 and telling people not to go to school on Tuesday. Devall said extra officers were sent out to Hammond's schools, which were also placed on lockdown and checked for safety before students were allowed inside.
Superintedent Mark Kowle said parents were also notified through their social media emergency alert system about the threat, and the precautions being taken.
The police chief said his officers interviewed the 14-year-old with his mother present, and that the boy confessed to making the post. Devall said the teen was cooperative with his investigators, and raised in a good environment.
"The problem our children don't understand is the seriousness when they do something like this," Devall said during a noon press conference.
Devall and Edwards said they believed they boy did not have the means or intention to carry out any such threat. Authorities did not release information about which site the post was on because they said they did not want to provide information which would let someone else carry out a similar threat.
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The 14-year-old was booked into the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center on terrorizing charges. Edwards said their investigation is continuing to make sure the teen acted alone and didn't not truly intend to carry out the threat.