Baton Rouge, LA (7/11/2024) – On June 7, 2024, an officer from the Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) responded to a call at 7980 Howell Blvd., Springhill Suites, regarding a runaway juvenile tracked to the property by his Probation and Parole ankle bracelet. The situation quickly escalated when officers discovered that the group of individuals the juvenile was with were possibly in possession of firearms.
Upon arrival, officers contacted five individuals, including the runaway juvenile, as they exited a hotel room. The group consisted of four juveniles aged 15-16 and one adult, identified as 17-year-old Herman O’Neal.
A search of the satchel carried by O’Neal revealed a significant cache of firearms and accessories, including:
- Five handguns
- One handgun reported stolen
- One handgun with an obliterated serial number
- One “Glock switch” converting a handgun into a machine gun
- Four extended magazines and two standard magazines
Herman O’Neal was subsequently arrested and charged with several serious offenses:
- Illegal Carrying of Concealed Weapons by a person under 18 years of age (5 counts)
- Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number
- Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms
- Possession of Machine Gun Parts
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Juvenile (4 counts)
The BRPD emphasizes that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The police department urges the community to report any suspicious activities, particularly those involving minors, to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
