THIBODAUX, LA – An elementary school student who made a hand gesture like he was holding a gun was removed from school and taken into custody for questioning this morning.
The unidentified student at St. Joseph Elementary School was also overheard by other students “making reference to being a school shooter,” according to the Thibodaux Police Department.
The incident was reported just before 10 a.m., but the comments and hand gesture were made before school started.
The student has been charged with terrorizing.
“Investigators believe the threatening comment was not made at any individual student or group of students,” TPD public information officer David Melancon said in a press release. “Police were also able to confirm that the student in question had no means on school property to follow through with the threatening comments.”
“The Thibodaux Police Department is asking that the community get their information from an official source, i.e. Thibodaux Police Department, to help with rumor control by opportunistic people and concerned citizens,” Melancon added.