Police say 13-year-old shot father in school car line after argument

HAMMOND, Louisiana (WDSU) — The Hammond Police Department has taken a 13-year-old in custody in connection with a shooting near the Tangipahoa Alternative School Tuesday morning.

According to Hammond police, the shooting happened in the school car line around 7:39 a.m.

Police say that before the shooting, the 13-year-old boy and his father got into an argument. Officers say the boy did not want to go inside the school.

Due to the argument, the school resource officer responded to the car line, and the father of the boy decided to take his son home.

As the car began to drive out of the car line, the resource officer heard gunshots and saw the teen approaching the officer with a gun, according to police.

Hammond police say the father’s car then accelerated across the street into a home. There was a Pre-K-aged student in the backseat. That child was not injured and is now in the custody of another family member.

The home the father crashed into was damaged, but no one inside was hurt.

After the car crashed, police say the 13-year-old got out of the car and began walking toward the side door of the school with the gun.

According to Hammond police, the school resource officer put himself between the scene and the school. The resource officer then disarmed the teen and took him into custody.

The teen was taken into custody without incident, and the boy’s father was taken to North Oaks Medical Center and is considered critical at this time.

Officers have secured the scene, and there is no ongoing threat to public safety. The school was placed on lockdown as a precaution, but has since returned to normal operations.

The identity of the teen and father will not be released at this time. The teen will be taken to the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center to be processed.

The school has placed counselors on campus for students who need to speak about the incident, according to school officials.

Due to the boy’s age, no information on his criminal history or behavior record at the school will be released.

“This type of violence is senseless and outrageous and sadly underscores why school resources officers are so important,” said Hammond Chief of Police Edwin Bergeron Jr. in an issued statement. “We are incredibly grateful that we had a SRO at the school to intervene and prevent further injuries.”