La. student charged with felonies in TikTok-inspired attack on disabled teacher
COVINGTON, La. (WVUE) - An 18-year-old student from Louisiana has been charged with felony counts that could be punishable by up to 10 years in prison in relation to a video-recorded attack on a disabled high school teacher, WVUE reports.
Larrianna Jackson, 18, was charged last Friday with felony second-degree battery and with cruelty to the infirmed, announced District Attorney Warren Montgomery’s office Tuesday.
Jackson was arrested Oct. 6 after video of an attack on a disabled teacher at Covington High School spread online. Another student made a cellphone recording of what police allege was a premeditated attack on the 64-year-old, wheelchair-bound woman.
Investigators said Jackson wanted to take part in a viral “Slap a Teacher” challenge spreading on TikTok. The social media platform denounced the dare and said it would remove any content related to it.
The Covington Police Department initially booked Jackson with battery of a school teacher, a crime punishable by 15 days to six months in jail. But after reviewing the case evidence, Montgomery’s office opted to charge Jackson with more serious felonies that expose the defendant to a potentially more severe penalty.
Jackson is to be arraigned on the charges Dec. 8 before 22nd Judicial District Court Judge Richard A. Swartz.
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