West Monroe High School was on high alert Tuesday when a teacher spotted two men on the campus with holstered weapons.
The rule is “See something, say something” and an alert teacher made an alert, the men were apprehended, and the school instantly shifted into well-rehearsed lockdown procedures and parents were called.
It was all over in an hour, and no one was injured.
Police say the two men entered the campus with holstered firearms and claimed they were part of a fugitive recovery task force. Police say that claim turned out to be untrue.
Police arrested Theodore Herr, and Matthew Hutson and were charged with carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon by a student or nonstudent on school property, unlawful disruption of the operation of a public school, and criminal trespass.
The criminal trespass charge is a misdemeanor. The other charges are felonies. They were both booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center.
Total bond is $6,200.
The police report says Hutson later stated that he was on school property because his girlfriend’s granddaughter was involved in drug activity and he was doing a walkthrough to identify her.
While Louisiana is an “Open Carry” state, it is illegal to carry weapons on school campuses.
