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Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington says that a fifteen-year-old Cope Middle School student was arrested
and charged with multiple firearm offenses after he discharged a handgun while in class on Thursday,
May 9th. The suspect was showing the handgun to another student and began placing it into a backpack
when it discharged while in a classroom. The school resource officer quickly responded and took the
student into custody and recovered the handgun. No students were injured as a result of the incident.
Bossier Sheriff’s Office detectives investigated the incident thoroughly and charged the suspect with the
following charges:
- Illegal Use of a Weapon or Dangerous Instrumentalities
- Possession of a Handgun by a Juvenile
- Possession of a Firearm in a Gun Free Zone
The suspect was booked into Ware Detention Center.
This incident is a reminder of the importance of having SROs in Bossier Parish schools. These highly
trained deputies are on every campus and are able to respond to incidents very quickly when time is of
the essence.
If you have any additional information regarding this case, please call the Bossier Sheriff’s Office at
(318)965-2203.