WGNO

15-year-old arrested in connection with threat of violence at Newman school

NEW ORLEANS – A 15-year-old boy was arrested in connection with an alleged threatening photo and message posted on social media that prompted Isidore Newman to close today.

According to NOPD, officers responded to Isidore Newman on Jefferson Avenue about a threat made on social media.

Officers learned that on the morning of Wednesday, March 29, a 15-year-old male identified as a current student at the school posted a photograph on the Snapchat social media application displaying several weapons on a bed with a statement reading, “Don’t come to school tomorrow.”

This post was shared with several of the juvenile’s friends. Newman school officials were notified of the online post on the evening of March 29 and chose to cancel classes on March 30 and March 31 as a safety measure.

As the investigation progressed, NOPD detectives located the juvenile at his residence in the Third District, where he was subsequently arrested.

A search warrant was obtained an executed on the suspect’s residence, at which time three rifles and one shotgun were located inside of the residence. The weapons, which matched those in the photo displayed online, were found to be owned by the juvenile’s father.

The juvenile was arrested and booked into the Juvenile Bureau, where he will be charged with one count of each of terrorizing, intimidation and interference in the operation of schools.