Suspect arrested in Louisiana high school shooting that left 1 dead, 2 injured
A 14-year-old boy has been charged with two counts of illegal battery and other related charges after he allegedly shot and killed a student at a Louisiana high school Tuesday, police said.
The teen in custody has not yet been named but will be charged with two counts of illegal battery, possession of a firearm, and carrying a weapon in a school-free zone, police said.
St. Helena Parish Sheriff's Department told USA Today the motive may have been bullying.
The shooting occurred around 3 p.m. local time at St. Helena Career & College Academy in Greensburg, Louisiana, and left one student dead and two injured, according to the St. Helena Parish Sheriff's Department.
The identity of the suspect and victim is being withheld due to their age and the investigation is ongoing, the department said in a Facebook post. Police said the motive is unknown.
The St. Helena Parish School District announced classes will be canceled Wednesday and Thursday, and that grief counselors will be available for students upon their return on Friday.
"This is such a senseless tragedy and my prayers to out to the families of all involved and to the St. Helena community that were affected by this tragedy," said Sheriff Nathaniel "Nat" Williams in the Facebook post.
MORE: 1 dead, another injured in shooting during Louisiana high school football game
“You’d never think it’d happen right here at home. You’d never think it’d happen here,” said Marcus Downs, a teacher and alumnus of the school, according to WAFB, a TV station in Baton Rouge.
"Greensburg is a community close to my home and my heart," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a statement.
"I was proud to represent St. Helena Parish, along with Tangipahoa, for eight years in the legislature. Donna and I are praying for the families affected by this awful act, and for the entire St. Helena community," he said.
#lagov #lalege https://t.co/FfVGbssplO pic.twitter.com/E0EAY4vcrY
— Gov. John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) September 13, 2023
The St. Helena shooting comes on the heels of a shooting at a high school football game at Port Allen High School near Baton Rouge earlier this month.
The football game was cut short and a medical helicopter was dispatched to the high school, police said.
A 28-year-old sustained unknown injuries, West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office Sgt. Landon Groger said, according to WAFB. A statement from the school board published by the outlet said a teenager who was killed was a student.
Contributing: Claire Thornton, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: St. Helena Parish, Louisiana high school shooting: 1 dead, 2 injured
