On Friday, September 22, 2023, Ponchatoula High School (PHS) administration learned of a Snapchat post by a PHS student indicating that a grenade had been dropped somewhere inside the school building. They immediately contacted the Ponchatoula Police Department (PPD) for assistance. The PPD immediately responded with approximately ten officers, including two K9s, to search the school.
The PPD partnered with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, Ponchatoula Volunteer Fire Department, Hammond Police Department, and faculty and staff at PHS. The entire school building was evacuated to the football field while the building was searched and the investigation was conducted by authorities. During the search and investigation, the team identified the student who made the post and detained him. The student admitted to making the threat and confirmed that he did not bring a bomb to school; it was a prank. School activity resumed, but deputies and detectives maintained a presence at the school throughout the day. The prankster was arrested and faces charges of terrorizing, interference with school operations, and false communication of a bomb threat.
According to PPD, due to the immediate response, investigation, and apprehension of the student, PHS was able to return all students to their classrooms. PPD Chief Bry Layrisson said, “The planning, preparation, and training of all team members is a testament to the safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff. This student made a terrible decision and will now have to suffer the consequences of his actions. To our parents, we take great pride in keeping our children safe and providing them with a secure learning environment.”
Authorities say that although this hoax was just a simple prank in the mind of the arrested student, the fallout was severe. Learning was disrupted, hysteria overtook the school, and hundreds of parents left work and other duties to rush to the school to collect their children, who they believed were possibly in peril. Additionally, valuable and stretched first response resources were allocated to the incident, posing a threat to other legitimate emergency situations in other parts of the district.