‘Bounty hunter’ arrested on WMHS campus said he was stupid for carrying gun
Monroe LA September 12 2019
Two men were arrested on the West Monroe High School campus on Tuesday morning.
In an new release issued by the West Monroe Police Department around 2:30 p.m., the men were identified as Matthew W. Hutson, 57, and Christopher Herr, 36. Affidavits for both men list an address on Hutson Road in West Monroe as their address.
Hutson had a firearm in a visible holster and was carrying a clipboard.
He said he was with a Fugitive Task Force and was carrying a clipboard.
He said they were looking for someone.
According to his arrest affidavit, he was carrying a 1911-style pistol.
According to the arrest affidavit for Hutson, he initially said he was serving a warrant as a fugitive recovery agent.
After being arrested and advised of his Miranda rights, he reportedly said he was looking to see what his girlfriend’s granddaughter looks like because she was selling or possessing drugs.
Herr was carrying a concealed Smith and Wesson 9-mm pistol, according to his arrest affidavit.
After being advised of his Miranda rights, he reportedly told police that he was tagging along with Hutson to get information about an unknown individual who might be on school property. He said he thought he was helping with “fugitive recovery” and thought the person they were looking for had a warrant. He reportedly said he couldn’t have a firearm on school property and was being stupid. Herr reportedly told officers that he doesn’t have a concealed carry permit.
Both were taken into custody safely, and there was no evidence they intended to harm anyone.
Both were charged with carrying a dangerous weapon on school property, unlawful disruption of the operation of a public school and criminal trespass. Two of the charges are felonies, and trespass is a misdemeanor.
Bond for each was set at $200 on the trespassing charges. Bond for the felonies has not been set yet.
They will be booked into Ouachita Correctional Center.
According to Ouachita Parish Schools Superintendent Don Coker, the pair came on campus and into the science wing about 10:25 a.m.
West Monroe Police Chief Jeff Terrell told our media partners at KTVE in a news conference that a teacher in Wing 3 saw two white males. One had a clipboard and the other had a handgun in a holster. She went back to her room and called administration, who called WMPD. The department has a substation on campus.
Within a minute, Terrell said, they were found between the VoTech school and another building. Both were armed with holstered weapons.
Principal Shelby Ainsworth said at the news conference that the campus is open and the two did not check in or have permission to be there.
According to information Coker was provided, the men claimed to be bounty hunters.
Terrell said his department has not yet been able to verify whether the two are bondsmen.
If that’s the case, Coker said, they handled the situation badly.
The two are in custody, Terrell said, and were removed from campus. Security footage showed that they were the only two to get out of their vehicle.There was no suspicion that anyone else is involved.
Terrell said having a firearm on campus is a felony and the two trespassed.
The school remained in lockdown while law enforcement officers checked every room.
WMPD, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, Metro Narcotics, and Monroe Police Department responded to the event. About 30 officers in total were on campus.
No injuries were reported.
Coker said around 11 a.m. that parents would get an all call once the lockdown was lifted.
Ainsworth said everything went well while the school was in lockdown from about 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Half-day seniors were released. Parents were allowed to check out students at the auditorium with proper identification.
