UPDATE, 10:57 a.m.: PORT BARRE, La. (KLFY) — Port Barre Police Chief Deon Boudreaux confirmed a suspect is in custody after he threatened to shoot at schools this morning in a conversation with a student walking to class.

Boudreaux said charges are pending, though he did not release the identity of the suspect.

The chief said his department was notified at around 7:45 a.m. this morning. Port Barre High, Port Barre Elementary, Port Barre Headstart and the Montessori school were placed on lockdown shortly after.

“During the investigation, Port Barre police learned a high school student, while walking to school, passed by a local man, whom the student knows,” said Boudreaux. “The student states he heard the man say he was going to shoot up the school. Once the student arrived to school, faculty was notified. We can’t take things like this lightly. Especially in the era we are living in today.”

Port Barre High School says the lockdown has been downgraded to a “soft lockdown” after a suspect was placed in police custody. All students are safe, according to the school’s Facebook page.

There were already law enforcement officers on the scene this morning, as the school had plans to hold a “mock crash” at 9:30 a.m.

ORIGINAL POST: PORT BARRE, La. (KLFY) — Port Barre High School was placed on lockdown this morning after a local resident who frequently walks the streets in the area of the school told a student he would shoot at the school today.

Louisiana State Police, the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Opelousas Police Department are on the scene investigating.

This is a developing story. Updates to this story will be posted here as they become available.