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Detectives with the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a 14-year-old boy and booked him with a felony in connection with a school threat posted on social media targeting East St. John High School.

The teenager, who was not identified because he is a juvenile, attends LaPlace Elementary. The Sheriff’s Office said he was booked on Friday and later released to his parents. 

“Making a threat to our schools is likely to result in an arrest and criminal charges, including the charge of terrorizing, that will be on your record for the rest of your life,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank school officials for their partnership in investigating the threats and for citizens who also notified authorities about them.

Sheriff Mike Tregre stated that the Sheriff’s Office and the St. John Parish Public School System will take every threat to parish schools seriously. All threats will be investigated, and arrests will be made when necessary.

Sheriff Tregre advises parents and students against sharing threatening images or rumors on social media to prevent public fear. He urges reporting such threats to schools and law enforcement for investigation.