The 16-year-old Northshore High School student who reported seeing someone with a gun on campus Sept. 24, forcing Slidell police to lock down the school for over an hour, was arrested Tuesday on charges of terrorizing and making a false report of a crime.

Over 80 police officers from the Slidell Police Department, St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office and the Louisiana State Police descended on the school Sept. 24 after the girl told a band teacher she had seen a male walking in the school’s parking lot carrying a handgun. Police immediately locked down the school and stopping everyone from entering or leaving the campus while they searched for the alleged perpetrator. However, after an hour’s investigation that included looking a surveillance video tape and bringing in K-9 units, the police found neither the suspect nor the gun. Officers then reopened the school and allowed students and faculty to go home.

The girl was interviewed several times, according to Slidell police spokesman Capt. Kevin Foltz, and detectives found some inconsistencies in her story. “Several red flags went up, and the detectives started looking deeper into the matter,” Foltz said.

Detectives were not able to find any other witnesses or other video evidence to back up the girl’s story, and they asked her to take a polygraph test. Foltz said the girl agreed to the test after conferring with her lawyer.

The polygraph results revealed the girl showed “deception,” Foltz said.

The girl was interviewed again, and when faced with detectives’ information and polygraph results, she admitted she had lied about the entire incident, Foltz said.

She was arrested at 9 p.m. Tuesday on charges of terrorizing and filing a false report of a crime.

Foltz said that because the girl is a juvenile her punishment is up to a juvenile judge. She will also face disciplinary action from the St. Tammany School Board for filing a false report that seriously disrupts the education process.

School Board spokesperson Meredith Mendez said the girl could face suspension, expulsion or disciplinary reassignment.

As for the reason behind the girl’s lies, Foltz said, “In the best interest of the girl, the motive is not being released.”

Because she is a juvenile, the girl’s identity was not released. After her arrest, the student was released into the custody of her parents.