Louisiana authorities arrested a substitute teacher on Wednesday after an investigation linked her to false active‑shooter alerts that were sent to five schools in Caddo Parish. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office said Lytonja Barfield, 58, was booked on five counts of menacing.
Investigation and response
The investigation began when officials with the Caddo Parish School Board contacted the sheriff’s office about possible threats following emergency alerts at several schools. Don Gibbs, the board’s director of security, told investigators that Barfield allegedly used the district’s emergency management system to report active shooters at five separate locations.
School personnel followed established safety protocols, implementing security measures to protect students and staff while they verified the legitimacy of the alerts. After determining the reports were false, officials identified Barfield as the source of the false notifications.
School district’s statement
Caddo Parish Public Schools confirmed that Barfield is no longer employed by the district and was not assigned to any school at the time of the incident. The district said it is cooperating fully with the sheriff’s office and that it followed its standard security procedures to ensure safety across all campuses.
The sheriff’s office did not disclose the names of the five schools or the specific security actions taken, but it emphasized that false threat reports can cause significant disruption, trigger emergency responses, and create fear among students, parents, staff, and the surrounding community.
Arrest and charges
After locating Barfield, detectives questioned her about the incident. Based on the evidence gathered, authorities arrested her and transported her to the Caddo Correctional Center, where she was booked on five counts of menacing.
Motivation for the alleged false alerts has not been disclosed, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Impact on the community
Local parents and community members expressed concern over the potential for false alerts to undermine confidence in school safety systems. The incident highlights the importance of responsible use of emergency communication tools and the need for clear protocols to protect students while preventing misuse.
School districts across the state are reviewing their alert procedures to ensure rapid, accurate responses to genuine threats while minimizing the impact of false reports.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
