Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, La. (WGNO) — A man, woman and teenager were arrested after they were allegedly caught bringing guns, including an assault rifle, to a pre-kindergarten graduation on Friday, May 19.
Officials with the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened at Garyville-Mt. Airy Magnet School.
They said a caller reported the guns, and officers intervened. The school was placed on lockdown. As officers were investigating, they tried to approach two people in a car. The two individuals allegedly got out and ran away.
Sheriff’s office officials said 24-year-old Nick Malancon and a 16-year-old boy, both of Reserve, were caught and arrested. Inside the car, investigators said they found an AK-47 with a loaded magazine and a 20-round box of ammunition.
It was discovered that the teenager was wearing an ankle monitor and was on house arrest for illegal drugs and weapon charges in St. Charles Parish.
According to sheriff’s office officials, a second gun that had been discarded by the teen was found underneath another suspect’s car. It had been converted to fully automatic.
As officers recovered the second gun, a third gun was found inside the car of another suspect. Officials said 25-year-old Jaquanna Monique Cage, of LaPlace, was arrested.
Investigators said security footage indicated that Malancon and Cage were together at the event.
Malancon was charged with being in possession of a gun on school property. His bond was set at $250,000.
Cage was charged with being in possession of a gun on school property and an outstanding warrant. Her bond was set at $251,000.
The teenager was charged with resisting an officer, illegal possession of a gun and possession of a gun on school property. He was booked into the Sherman Walker Correctional Facility.
“We know they went inside that school, that gymnasium, a Pre-K graduation with an AK-47, that’s pretty scary,” Sheriff Mike Tregre with St. John the Baptish Parish Sheriff’s Office said.
Tregre said it was help from people who saw them with the guns that lead to the swift response.
“Once we got descriptions of individuals, we approached them, they were seated in a vehicle,” he said.
Tregre said the their investigation they found that the female, the juvenile, and the adult male had all been inside school. Something as scary as this has law enforcement on even higher alert.
“I’ve spoken to school administration. We are going to work harder to make sure staff, administrators, students are all safe, this year, and at events in the future,” Sheriff Tregre said.
The SJBP School District Superintendent Rebecca Johnson issued this statement about the incident.
“The safety of our students continues to remain a top priority as we work as a district to provide each scholar with an exceptional education. I am grateful for the teachers and administrators at Garyville Magnet who followed our crisis management plan and took appropriate and swift action. I would also like to thank the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office for their management of the situation and their continued investigation into the matter.”
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