A 13-year-old boy is in custody after a shocking shooting outside a Louisiana school that left his father in critical condition.
Police say the incident happened around 7:39 a.m. in the car line outside Tangipahoa Alternative School in Hammond.
According to investigators, the situation started with an argument between the teen and his father. The boy reportedly didn’t want to go into school, and tensions escalated quickly.
A school resource officer was called to the scene as the situation unfolded.
Police say the father then decided to take his son home — but as their car began to leave the line, everything spiraled out of control.
The officer suddenly heard gunshots and saw the teen approaching with a firearm.
Moments later, the father’s vehicle accelerated and crashed into a nearby home. A young child, believed to be pre-K age, was in the backseat at the time but was not injured.
The home sustained damage, but no one inside was hurt.
After the crash, police say the teen got out of the vehicle and began walking toward the school with the gun.
That’s when the school resource officer stepped in.
Authorities say the officer placed himself between the teen and the school, managed to disarm him, and took him into custody without further incident.
The boy’s father was rushed to the hospital and remains in critical condition.
The school was briefly placed on lockdown as a precaution but has since resumed normal operations. Counselors have been made available to students and staff.
Police say there is no ongoing threat to the public.
The teen’s identity has not been released due to his age, and he is expected to be processed at a juvenile detention center.
Officials are now praising the quick actions of the school resource officer, saying the situation could have been much worse.
“This type of violence is senseless and outrageous,” the police chief said, adding that the officer’s response likely prevented further injuries.