Student with gardening shears arrested at Iowa High School

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - A student with gardening shears was arrested at Iowa High School Monday, authorities said.

The 17-year-old boy told other students in class he had a weapon, but later said he was joking, according to Kim Myers, spokeswoman for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. She said he also pushed a teacher attempting to take his backpack.

Myers said the Calcasieu Parish School Resource Officer at Iowa was made aware of a student who possibly had a weapon in his backpack around noon Monday.

The resource officer, along with school personnel, attempted to stop the 17-year-old in the hallway, but he refused to do so, Myers said. The deputy detained the student and found garden shears with 6- to 7-inch blades in his backpack. A teacher took the student’s backpack and contacted the office, but the student pushed the teacher and took back his backpack.

The teacher was able to get the student out of the classroom, at which time he was located by the resource officer, Myers said.

The student was booked in the Juvenile Detention Center on a charge of carrying a dangerous weapon on school grounds.

School Resource Officer Sgt. Jubal Marceaux and Det. Larry Cormier are the lead investigators.

Copyright 2019 KPLC. All rights reserved.