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NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A scary Wednesday morning at Success Preparatory Academy on Bienville & Johnson, a couple blocks away from Claiborne. The NOPD says two female teachers were robbed at gun point inside the school. WGNO spoke exclusively with someone who works at the school. They did not want to reveal their identity, but they told us a sixth grade teacher and administrator were robbed. The teacher was outside, getting ready to walk in, the suspect approached her, pulled out a gun and ordered her inside the school. The suspect grabbed the sixth grade teacher by the hair, demanded she give up her valuables. When she said they were upstairs, he pulled her up the stairs. That’s when he saw the other teacher, robbed her as well and ran off. A custodian heard the ruckus and called police immediately. Police say no one was seriously hurt.

There are no students on campus, since it’s a “professional development day” for the staff. Staff was evacuated for a short time earlier that morning, while officers searched the building to see if the suspect was possibly inside, but they went back inside soon after. Our source says staff continued to work Wednesday,  that they were trying to keep things as normal as possible after such a terrifying event.

New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison told WGNO grief counselors were called in and spoke with the teachers and the rest of the staff about the quote “very traumatic experience”.
He says police are currently working out a security plan with the school’s principal and they’re looking at video footage from the school and the neighborhood. They’re trying to get it out to the public, as soon as possible. When asked about the recent armed robberies uptown — and now — this hold up at a school — the chief had this to say:

“Anybody who chooses to commit this type of violent behavior — we’re not going to accept it. We’re going to pursue every single lead that we get and we’re going to turn the earth upside down until we find and catch these people. We’re not going to stand for it, we’re going to make sure our city’s safe, whatever it is we have to do,” said Chief Harrison.

An investigation is still underway. All they’re saying about the suspect is that he’s a black man. Contact police if you have any information.