Lusher Charter School. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
Arthur Johnson (via NOPD)
Lusher Charter School students reported to school as normal at both campuses on Monday, and the teenage student charged with “terrorizing” over threats turned himself in to police shortly before classes started for the day, police said.
The boy, 14-year-old Wyatt Johnston, allegedly began “making threats toward the school” on Thursday, so police obtained a warrant on the terrorizing charge, police have said. His father, 52-year-old Arthur Johnston, then “made efforts to prevent his son from being [arrested],” so he was charged as an accessory to terrorizing and a warrant was issued for his arrest as well, according to a NOPD news release on Saturday.
Both remained at large as of Sunday evening, creating uncertainty among Lusher families about the safety of sending their children to school the following morning. Around 7:30 a.m. Monday, however, NOPD officials announced that Wyatt Johnston “was turned in by his mother and is now in police custody at the juvenile detention center.”
Arthur Johnston subsequently turned himself in at the Second District station around 9 a.m., said NOPD spokeswoman Ambria Washington.
Lusher accompanied the decision to open both campuses for class and other activities on Monday with a promise of a heightened police presence all day, according to the statement issued Sunday. The decision was made in conjunction with the New Orleans police, the school said, and reiterated Monday morning that the additional police presence would remain in place until the end of classes for the semester.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we will maintain an increased level of security until Winter Break,” Lusher CEO Kathy Reidlinger said in an email.
