By Pat Culverhouse
Alleged threats potentially targeting two local schools have landed a 19-year-old Minden man in custody facing serious charges, according to Minden Chief of Police Jared McIver.
Devon Jones is being held on a $250,000 bond on charges of terrorizing and menacing after making threats of violence to Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College and Minden High School.
Minden police detectives, joined by Webster Parish deputies, arrested Jones at his Stonewood Rd. residence shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday.
McIver said Minden police officers were called to NLTCC on Industrial Drive on Feb. 17 where they were told of a troubling encounter between Jones and a school student at a local business.
According to the student’s statement, during the encounter Jones said he was planning to “shoot up” the school, put a bomb under a vehicle and also “shoot up” Minden High School just for fun. The student reportedly told officers Jones had been making similar comments since October.
“The student said they feared for their safety around Jones,” McIver said.
During further interviews, officers reportedly learned Jones had been expelled from NLTCC on Feb. 13 due to numerous issues concerning strange behavior. School officials said he would become overly excited when discussing mixing certain chemicals and the dangers of explosion.
School officials reportedly said Jones would leave class early claiming his ride was waiting, then he would be seen in woods at the campus. He also reportedly was discovered hiding under a desk, waiting to scare teachers or students.
MPD investigators said Jones has two previous arrests for separate incidents in 2023. He was charged with one count of arson and one count of trespassing for a overnight break-in at Minden High School.
McIver said the police department takes threats of violence seriously and worked as quickly as the law allowed to make the arrest.
“We would also like to thank the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division for their help in making the arrest. Jones’ residence is located in the parish and WPSO CID’s experience with the family and the area allowed this situation to end without incident or injures,” the chief said.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.