METAIRIE, La. ― Two Metairie schools put themselves into lockdown Monday morning after a police chase ended with officers finding the car on one of the school’s campuses.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputies continue to search for a the man who ditched the car at Rudolph Matas Elementary School before fleeing.
Besides Matas, T.H. Harris Middle School also went into lockdown. Both schools, which are near Elise and West Metairie avenues, are now operating normally again.
“We had our helicopter unit out earlier as well as canine in the area and we searched for probably about two hours in hopes of attempting to locate the suspect,” Jefferson Parish spokesman Col. John Fortunato said. “But so far, we have been unable to do so.”
The tense period began shortly after 7 a.m. when a deputy spotted a man in the 1400 block of Elm Street driving a truck that was reported stolen on March 7.
After a chase, the suspect, described as a 6-foot-2, 200-pound black man in his 30s, fled on foot before circling back to the stolen truck.
Once more, police lost the truck. It was eventually found in the parking lot of Matas, where school cameras captured the suspect again fleeing on foot and into the neighborhood.
Officers notified the nearby schools, prompting the lockdowns.
“My husband and I decided to try to get the kids out of school,” parent Kristine Traub said. “We didn’t know what was going on. They have been texting me, ‘I’m scared. What’s going on? We’re hearing there’s gunmen on campus.’ My children were very frightened.”
Police said the man is armed and was wearing dark-colored clothing with a dark, hooded shirt. Police are asking anyone with information please call 911 or Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.
