In light of Columbine, people are more aware and pay more attention to the rumors and threats that float around about possible school shootings, especially among high school aged students.  In St. Tammany, a potential Columbine redux was stopped before it could be executed, thanks to aware citizens who took the threats seriously. The threats were credible to start with, not just rumors, as going off half-cocked could cause the harassment of the innocent or catching the guilty too early could make them look innocent. 

Last week, deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested three 15-year-old Lakeshore High School students, each accused of plotting a shooting rampage on the first day of school, scheduled for tomorrow. The teens, two from Lacombe and one from Mandeville, allegedly were part of a group called “Day Zero” that both targeted specific students on the LHS campus and talked of random shooting.

We are very fortunate this group’s threats were taken seriously. Had they not been, the 2011-12 school year could have begun with a tragedy at the parish’s newest high school.

Remember, criminals are nondiscriminatory.  There is no area that is exempt and no magical zone is safe, it’s just like Pacific Playland.

Please note, both incidents occurred in a “gun free zone”.

Gun Free ≠ Safe