Lytonja Barfield, 58, a substitute teacher, was taken into custody Wednesday after an investigation into the alerts, Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr. announced. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office began investigating after receiving reports of potential threats from the Caddo Parish School Board.
Don Gibbs, the school board’s director of security, informed investigators that Barfield allegedly used the district’s emergency management system to report active shooters at five different schools. School officials initiated security protocols at each location to ensure the safety of students and staff while the validity of the threats was assessed.
Authorities determined the alerts were false and identified Barfield as the individual responsible for sending them. The Caddo Parish Public Schools district confirmed that Barfield is no longer employed by them and was not assigned to any district site at the time of the incident. The district stated it is fully cooperating with the sheriff's office investigation.
The sheriff’s office did not specify which five schools were affected or detail the security measures that were implemented. A detective located Barfield, questioned her about the incident, and subsequently arrested her. She was transported to the Caddo Correctional Center and booked on five counts of menacing.
Authorities did not disclose a motive for the alleged false alerts. The sheriff’s office noted that false reports of active threats can disrupt school operations, initiate emergency responses, and cause fear within the school community. The investigation into the matter is ongoing.