Police here have arrested a 14-year-old in connection with threats made against the town’s schools that results in closures last week.
According to Police Chief Damon Daigle, an arrest warrant was obtained for the juvenile, whom police said has ties to the schools,
The juvenile is being held at the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office on four counts of terrorism.
Classes at schools in Iota resumed Monday despite additional threatening social media messages toward Iota High School and Middle School during the weekend.
“We received reports of several new threatening messages towards Iota High School and Iota Middle School via Snapchat and Instagram,” Daigle said in a statement released Sunday.
Daigle said his department worked closely with the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police Intel and the Calcasieu Pairsh Sheriff’s Office on the investigation.
Superintendent Scott Richard made the decision to open the schools Sunday afternoon.
“After careful consideration and consultation with the Iota Police Department and the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office, we will resume classes at Iota Elementary, Iota Middle and Iota High Schools,” Richard said.
Extra safety precautions and extra police presence was provided at all Iota area campuses.
Students at the three schools public school and one parochial school in Iota had a four day weekend when administrators closed school Thursday and Friday due to threats received by phone and on social media.
