Louisiana Teenager Shot on His Way to School by Former Classmate

A Broadmoor High School student was shot and wounded by a former classmate trying to rob him while on his way to school Wednesday morning.

According to Sgt. L'Jean McKneely Jr., a spokesperson with the Baton Rouge Police Department, the teenager was taken to a local hospital with a wound to the midsection.

The incident happened in the 12000 block of Archery Drive, near Florida Boulevard and about two miles from Broadmoor High.

Police believe the 15-year-old victim was either walking to his bus stop or heading to school when the teenage robber approached him with a gun.

At some point during the encounter, the victim was shot and ran back home for help. Paramedics would pick him up from a neighborhood off Sherwood Forest Boulevard and take him to the hospital.

The suspect was identified as another 15-year-old who was expelled last semester from the same school for undisclosed reasons.

McKneely said the suspect has already been on the police department's radar after another student was robbed earlier this month. This attack was called a crime of "opportunity," suggesting that the teenage mugger was on the lookout for someone to rob.

"This 15-year-old suspect was out committing crimes, opportunity-type crimes," Sgt. L'Jean McKneely said. "He saw a victim and he would go after that particular victim."

Authorities said the suspect was taken into custody later on Wednesday morning. He is facing charges of attempted first-degree murder, attempted robbery with a firearm, armed robbery, and illegal use of a weapon.

However, due to the suspect's age, police cannot release his identity.

Ben Lemoine, a spokesman for the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, said the student who was shot is a sophomore at Broadmoor High and a very likable kid.

“Everybody said he is a popular kid, didn’t have any kind of beef with anyone,” Lemoine said.