UPDATE: Six Park Vista Elementary classrooms were vandalized overnight and four juveniles have been arrested.
Patrol officers with the Opelousas Police Department responded to an alarm call at the school located on Abdalla Blvd. around 4:00 am. Responding officers saturated the area and made contact with a group of subjects that were leaving the property of another school campus (MACA School) located on E. Leo St., according to Major Mark Guidry, spokesperson for the Department.
The suspects fled as officers attempted to make contact with them. Officers pursued and found three juveniles hiding in an abandoned residence. Further investigation led officers to develop enough evidence to charge the juveniles with simple burglary and a child being absent from home without consent, stated Guidry.
A fourth juvenile that had eluded officers initially was found at his home and also charged.
The investigation will also lead to an arrest related to burglary and vandalism at North Elementary school. Both schools had been burglarized and vandalized multiple times in the last several weeks, added Major Guidry.
Principal Joseph Joubert said that school will continue today despite the vandalism.
Staff were called in early this morning to clean the classrooms that were vandalized. Provisions have already been made for students whose classrooms were damaged, Joubert said.
KATC’s was at the school this morning as staff and volunteers began cleaning.
