Juvenile suspect arrested in connection to deadly shooting at St. Helena school; class canceled until Friday

ST. HELENA PARISH, La. (WAFB) - The St. Helena Parish Sherriff’s Office arrested a juvenile in connection to a deadly shooting involving multiple people on Tuesday, September 12.

According to deputies, the shooting happened around 3 p.m. at St. Helena College & Career Academy in the back parking lot and left one person dead.

Another person was transported to an area hospital, officials confirmed, and a third was airlifted.

The alleged suspect is a 14-year-old juvenile and a student at the school, according to authorities.

“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.

The St. Helena Parish School District stated that school will be canceled until Friday, as well as the football game.

One parent told WAFB’s Perry Robinson that her daughter saw the shooting and had to watch her classmate die in front of her.

“It was unbelievable to her. Of course, a child sees something like that...I just hate she had to see that,” said Keisha Henry.

Henry said it’s a moment no kid should ever see and a call no parent should ever get.

“It’s a lot,” said Henry.

A motive is undetermined at this time.

The two other kids that were shot are in the hospital, recovering from their injuries.

This is still an ongoing and developing story. @WAFB
— Perry Robinson, III (@PRobinsonReport) September 12, 2023

St. Helena College and Career Academy — St. Helena College and Career Academy(WAFB)

“When I went to Facebook and I saw the stuff all up and down my timeline, it’s like my heart just started skipping a beat,” said Downs.

Downs said he taught the victim, who has not been formally identified when he was in middle school.

He said the student was in the 11th grade and an athlete.

“For his family to be here, to endure this, it’s a major, major tragedy,” said Downs. “We need all the prayer we can get at this time.”

Superintendent Kelli Joseph released the following statement regarding the deadly shooting.

Our hearts are broken for the families and friends who suffered unspeakable loss Tuesday. There are no words we can express or actions we can take to remove the pain this has caused in our community.
Our thoughts and prayers are also with our learner who remains hospitalized. Out of respect for the families and the ongoing investigation by law enforcement, we are not releasing those names at this time.
We are working alongside law enforcement's ongoing investigation and will share additional information once their investigation concludes. I ask for your patience and understanding as this investigation unfolds. We value transparency, and we also want to provide accurate information and avoid speculation and unfounded rumors.
A senseless tragedy that we have seen on campuses around the nation struck here at home. What should have been a routine afternoon dismissal Tuesday at St. Helena College and Career Academy, turned into a day that has shaken our close-knit community. But we are strong - we are St. Helena Strong - and as we mourn, we are also taking steps to bring our community together around ensuring the continued safety and well-being of our schools, learners, and employees.
Next Steps:
1. Our employees will report to work on Thursday to prepare for our learners and receive grief counseling.
2. Learners will return to school on Friday. A Prayer Service is being arranged at this time for Friday morning. More details will follow. Mental health support will be available to all learners, and we will have additional police presence on our campuses.
3. A balloon release will take place at 6 p.m. in the stadium in lieu of the football game that was canceled.
It is natural for there to be some apprehension among kids, families, and employees. I want to assure you that we work to keep our learners and employees safe every day. For example, thanks to the Stronger Connections grant provided by LDOE, we recently installed a new digital sign-in system that tracks all visitors on our campuses, and we are in the process of upgrading our security camera systems to the latest technology. We utilize the free RAVE Panic Button system that alerts key personnel when unwanted activities occur during the school day. Our classroom teachers have written protocols for various emergency events, and we have drills to prepare our learners for those emergencies.
Our SHCCA staff took immediate action to ensure the safety of everyone on campus and remained on site to assist until late in the evening. I want to publicly extend my sincerest gratitude to them and to everyone who has offered their assistance to our school community.
Please continue to review all social media platforms, text messages, and our district website for the latest news and information.
Sincerely,
Superintendent Kelli Joseph

Governor John Bel Edwards released a statement regarding the shooting:

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