David Bridges
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — The District Attorney for the 15th JDC says there will be consequences for those making social media threats, including criminal consequences because this type of situation can cause emotional damage to students, parents, and staff at schools.
Don Landry tells News Ten’s Renee Allen he has a plan that will hopefully deter the crime from happening.
According to state law, the charge of terrorizing can carry a fine of up to $15K or up to 15 years of imprisonment or both and for a person under 18 that’s a lot of time to lose.
The social media threats that have recently poured into area schools has left parents, law enforcement and community leaders crying out.
“As a parent and as a first responder yes it is scary because our children are at these schools where these bomb threats and shooting threats are being called,” Lafayette Police Spokesperson Sgt. Robin Green said.
The public is asking that something be done to get young people to realize the severity and impact of terrorizing through social media.
“I can tell you now if it be one of mine you don’t have to send the police. You can send an ambulance because we need to start letting them know the severity of how serious this is,” Lafayette Councilman A.B. Rubin stated.
District Attorney Don Landry wants to carry the message straight to students and says he has a plan to team up with the school system.
“We will be asking them to let us come in and explain to our young people how serious we are about these violations of law.”
He says he has spoken with local law enforcement who expressed a willingness to go into the schools with him.
There is a safety concern that begins when the call of a social media threat is reported, Landry said.
“We got police cars with lights and sirens we got fire trucks with lights and sirens we got ambulances dispatched, certainly there could be an accident on the way there trying to get there as quickly as possible.”
Another charge is menacing which is punishable by a fine of up to $1K or up to 2 years of imprisonment, or both.
Troy Sanders
Mason Thompson
