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Substitute Teacher Arrested for Fake Active-Shooter Alerts

8/21/2026

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Summary

Story summary

U.S. authorities arrested substitute teacher Lytonja Barfield for triggering false active-shooter alerts at five schools.
Barfield was booked on five counts of menacing, according to Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr.
School board security director Don Gibbs said Barfield used the district’s emergency system to report fake shooters.
School officials activated security protocols after the alerts before determining the threats were false.

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Story summary

U.S. authorities arrested substitute teacher Lytonja Barfield for triggering false active-shooter alerts at five schools.
Barfield was booked on five counts of menacing, according to Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr.
School board security director Don Gibbs said Barfield used the district’s emergency system to report fake shooters.
School officials activated security protocols after the alerts before determining the threats were false.