Irrate camp counselor fires gun near school bus, police say

BY MARCELLE HANEMANN
The Daily News
Published/Last Modified on Thursday, June 4, 2009 5:32 PM CDT


A summer camp counselor got upset, retrieved a gun and fired it off in the vicinity of a bus full of young campers in the Bogalusa High School parking lot Wednesday afternoon, according to the Bogalusa Police Department.

The incident occurred just after 4 p.m., said BPD Capt. Joe Culpepper. No one was hurt.

“I don’t think he aimed at the kids,” said Culpepper.

Advertisement
Police arrested 18-year-old Joseph O’Berry, 324 Caswell Ave., and charged him with dangerous use of a weapon, a felony.

Police said O’Berry was a camp counselor for Camp Te Ca Towazi, the local chapter of Camp Fire USA, a nationwide organization that provides summer activities for boys and girls.

He was booked into the Bogalusa City Jail, and transferred to the Washington Parish Jail Friday for bonding.

Culpepper said it appeared the counselor had “gone crazy” while on the bus.

According to the police report, O’Berry said the people on the bus were “messing with him and he busted a cap,” said Culpepper.

“We received numerous calls that a shot or shots were fired,” he said. “Responding officers found a bus full of about 40 Camp Fire kids. A counselor had gone crazy, gone to his vehicle, returned with a weapon and fired a shot. He was mad for unknown reasons.”

The weapon, a handgun, was recovered, said Culpepper.

Camp Fire USA Towazi Council is currently under reorganization after the director resigned several weeks ago, camp officials have said. While the camp is ongoing this summer, the telephone number has been disconnected. An attempt to contact Board Member Leland White, whose number is listed for camp information, was unsuccessful as of deadline time.

Copyright © 2010 Daily News

Comments

    just me wrote on Jun 9, 2009 1:40 AM:

    " part 2

    not sure where everyone is getting their information, I guess the gossip mills around town. These kids are the top prioirty and are well taken care of. If anyone who wonders or has commented would like to see why don't you all volunteer your time and go out and see what's being done. I'm sure Camp Fire could use you somewhere. "

    just me wrote on Jun 9, 2009 1:38 AM:

    " I find it sad that everyone is going to try and blame Camp Fire for this man firing a gun. I have no idea if CF does background checks but they certainly didn't hand him a gun or tell him to use it. They can't control what someone else does even if a person has a great b'ground. And to Village ? I do think the campers have 2 people with them all the time so that when one person needs to leave them group they will be watched by the other. "

    villagegirl2009 wrote on Jun 7, 2009 8:21 PM:

    " I heard just last week, one of the couselors left some of the kids unattend and one of the parents just happen to be there and "took over." What is wrong? I can see now the name Camp Fire fits. It sure has a lot of people fired up. I wish my grandarling wouldn't go anymore. Thank God she wasn't on the bus. I feel for the parents who had their children on the bus. "

    A Few Questions wrote on Jun 7, 2009 6:15 PM:

    " Isn't this the same Joseph O’Berry that was charged in an arson case earlier this year? Why is he working as a camp counselor? Isn't there a law that restricts accused arsonist from working with fire? "

    Online reader wrote on Jun 7, 2009 4:24 PM:

    " OMG how many chances should he get before he goes away... he is still introuble for setting a fire in the votech school. Mommy dearest maybe you need an evelation too. "

    Watcher wrote on Jun 7, 2009 8:45 AM:

    " FYI ... your comment is very comforting .... right "

    Wow wrote on Jun 5, 2009 1:19 PM:

    " Mommy to the rescue. I am sure a stiff prison sentence will help because this is outrageous! Even firing into the woods could have killed someone mommy dearest, let's be resonable here. Just because he didn't aim at the bus doesn't excuse his behavior. "

    Concerned Parent continued wrote on Jun 5, 2009 12:48 PM:

    " You do your readers a disservice by printing such innuendo and I am saddened and disappointed how flagrantly the safety and wellbeing of those children as well as the entire community was disregarded in this article. First at the hands of a gun wielding, angry teen-ager and then by the Daily News (the voice of our community) for not being outraged by the blatant disregard for human life he carried out. I can assume that your child was not on that bus; but mine was. "

    Concerned Parent -continued wrote on Jun 5, 2009 12:46 PM:

    " an eye witness but his assumption was reported that “I don’t think he aimed at the kids,”
    • the police officer was not an eye witness yet made a diagnosis,“Culpepper said it appeared the counselor had “gone crazy” while on the bus”
    • The bus driver was not interviewed for an eye witness account for this story
    • 40 children reportedly present and no eye witness account from any of them was given

    It was not reported on facts culled from first person eye witnesses. This was an atrocious act of violence, however you spin it. "

    Concerned Parent wrote on Jun 5, 2009 12:41 PM:

    " How tragically this story speaks to the young people of our community resorting to violence rather than resolving conflict through communication. Thankfully the police department arrived in time to apprehend the young man and prevent further harm.
    Almost as tragic is the way in which this story was reported. It was an irresponsible reporting of assumptions. I feel if the writer chooses to copy their story from the police reports they should be edited to the facts rather than their personal opinion or that of the police officers’ personal opinions and /or assumptions.
    • the police officer was not "

    JustWondering wrote on Jun 5, 2009 10:28 AM:

    " First, thank God everyone is okay. But why doesn't Camp Fire screen their people? This young man has a fairly extensive police record, and I know he needs help, I do pray for his family also, but doesn't Camp Fire do background checks? Any organization that deals with children ALWAYS checks the background of their volunteers and staff, why didn't they? Also, to the Daily News, PLEASE hire a proof-reader, it is embarrassing for the headline (IRATE, not IRRATE) to be incorrectly spelled. This happens too often! "

    marvin wrote on Jun 5, 2009 9:34 AM:

    " If i remember correctly,just beyond the woods are businesses and Apartment Complex "

    HartBeats45 wrote on Jun 5, 2009 7:13 AM:

    " Now lets see how the Bogalusa justice system deal with this incident. This must be one of the most foolish acts of a camp counselor that I've heard of in a long time. I've said it once and I will say it again, who vets these people?!?! "

    VANESSA wrote on Jun 4, 2009 11:19 PM:

    " Also by no means am I condoning what he did. It was wrong .We just need to get him the proper help he needs.

    Thank You
    and may God Bless You "

    vanessa wrote on Jun 4, 2009 11:11 PM:

    " This counselor is my son and i apologize to all of the parents who where there and witnessed this. He is currently in jail and will remain so until we can figure out what went wrong. He has had issues in the past but nothing like this and I did not know it gotten so out of control otherwise he wouldn't have been there. No he didn't fire at anyone he actually fired into the woods across the street. He will be receiving a physiciatric eveluation soon and find out what is going on. "

    FYI wrote on Jun 4, 2009 10:46 PM:

    " The kids at the Camp are safe and are just fine. You can rest assured that you can send your children there and they will be ok. Leland, Monica and Traci are doing a great job along with all the volunteers. This is a one time incident. The numbers for Camp Fire were published in your paper last week and I do believe Leland is probably at the camp this week. "

Write a Comment

Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The Daily News is not liable for messages from third parties.



DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.

Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in gobogalusa.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the Daily News. The Daily News does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized Daily News spokespersons.

Thank you for your comments!

(optional)
Current Word Count:
   

Multimedia


2008 Citizen of the Year ceremony video

Gallaspy honored, encourages all to serve


Click here for all videos

Contact Us




Make Us Your Homepage

Advertisement