Teacher threatened to shoot class of children for not listening to him: ‘I’ve got bullets and a gun’
A Louisiana teacher has been arrested after allegedly making death threats to his third-grade students during a scandalous outburst.
DailyMail.com has obtained an exclusive photo of Robert Mitcham, 70, a physical education teacher at Downsville Community Charter School in Downsville, Louisiana.
Mitcham, 70, allegedly told his third-grade students that he “had bullets for his gun” and that he would “bring the bullets to school and shoot them.”
The teacher and former coach from Ruston, Louisiana, reportedly went on to state that “some students wouldn’t survive.”
Local police launched an investigation into Mitcham just two days after a concerned parent reported to police that their child was “scared,” as were other students in the class.
The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, along with the Criminal Investigations Division, interviewed students who witnessed the incident.
New information emerged from the testimonies of several students. Mitcham allegedly told the students that “there were too many of you to get rid of” and that he “only had six bullets in his gun.”
Robert Mitcham, 70, has been arrested after allegedly threatening to kill his third-graders during a scandalous outburst
Local police launched an investigation into Mitcham just two days after a concerned parent reported to police that their child was “scared,” as were other students in the class.
Parents raised their growing concerns at a Board of Directors meeting following the incident
Witnesses also testified that when an older student told another school staff member about the incident, Mitcham apologized to his students, admitting his mistake.
Deputies who spoke with Mitcham stated that “he felt overwhelmed and just wanted the children to calm down” and that he “was not threatening them.”
An arrest warrant for Mitcham was subsequently requested, which eventually happened on September 12.
He was taken to the Union Parish Detention Center and charged with one count of terrorizing.
Mitcham’s bail has been set at $15,000 and pending the outcome of his case, the former coach will be barred from the DCCS campus.
Parents raised their growing concerns at a Board of Directors meeting following the incident.
Kimberly Chappell, a concerned parent, told KNOE News: ‘We as parents deserve to know what’s going on in our school’
Downsville Mayor Reggie Skains was also in attendance at the meeting and expressed his “disappointment” with the lack of communication from school officials
One of the biggest concerns discussed during the meeting was the lack of communication from the board.
“We as parents have a right to know what’s going on in our school,” Kimberly Chappell, a concerned parent, told KNOE News.
“Ultimately, you have to communicate with the parents about the safety of their children,” Chappell continued, expressing her displeasure.
Downsville Mayor Reggie Skains was also in attendance at the meeting and expressed his “disappointment” over the lack of communication from school officials.
Tony Cain, the school’s principal, said the school is not legally allowed to comment publicly on the situation.
“We want to make it clear that the claims made by the parent who reported the incident to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office and those posted on social media do NOT match the first-hand accounts provided to school personnel by the students who actually witnessed the incident. We are confident that the students were honest and accurate in their accounts of the incident,” he said.