Half-dozen teens arrested after fight with guns, brass knuckles
Published 11:58 am Tuesday, April 3, 2018
- Six juvenile males are facing criminal charges following an altercation at Belle Point Park.
RESERVE — A large group of teenagers met in a local park on the afternoon of Good Friday to engage in a fight that involved guns and brass knuckles, leading to half-a-dozen arrests, police said.
Six juvenile males are currently facing criminal charges following the altercation at Belle Point Park on Jackson Avenue next to East St. John High School.
As of Tuesday morning, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office investigators said no injuries were reported, no shots were fired and the cause of the fight is unknown.
Police said it is undetermined if the violence was gang related, adding the recovered weapons have not been linked to other crimes and were not reported stolen.
Officers responded to Belle Point Park at 3:45 p.m. Friday after a large disturbance involving juveniles was reported. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the juveniles scattered before police arrived and without the knowledge that deputies were en route.
Some of the teenagers were reported to have entered the East St. John High gym.
Deputies initially detained a 15-year-old Reserve juvenile and located a 32 Smith & Wesson revolver in his backpack. Five other juveniles were detained in or near the gym.
Officers also found brass knuckles in the front pants pocket of a Reserve 14-year-old.
During booking of the juveniles, officers found an Armscor 38 revolver in the backpack of a 15-year-old, who was booked with criminal trespass – immovable property, two counts of illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile, two counts of illegal carrying of weapons, two counts of carrying a firearm/dangerous weapon by a student/nonstudent at school and taking contraband to/from a penal institution.
A 14-year-old male juvenile from Reserve was arrested for criminal trespass – immovable property and illegal carrying of weapons.
Also arrested were a 13-year-old and 14-year-old, both from Reserve, for criminal trespass – immovable property; and two 15-year-old juveniles from LaPlace for criminal trespass – immovable property.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, all suspects were released Friday to the custody of relatives.