Updated Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, at 10:30 a.m.

PORT ALLEN — The West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office is investigating after a threatening note was found in a bathroom at Port Allen High School on Thursday, prompting a school-wide hold and search.

The school notified parents at 10:34 a.m. that "a note linked to a social media trend" had been found and that the campus was under a hold procedure while staff conducted a search. A hold keeps students and staff in place while the building is searched, but is less restrictive than a full lockdown. The school said there was no immediate threat and asked parents not to call or come to the campus.

By 1:04 p.m., the school sent a follow-up message saying the search was complete and the hold had been lifted at 11:49 a.m. No weapon was found. Students and staff resumed normal activities for the rest of the day.

WBRSO Sgt. Landon Groger confirmed Thursday evening that the Sheriff's Office is investigating and that there will be additional law enforcement presence at the school on Friday.

The school's messages described the note as "linked to a social media trend" but did not provide further details. The connection has not been officially confirmed, but the incident comes as schools across the country deal with a viral trend using AI-generated images and videos of the Dr. Seuss character "the Cat in the Hat" alongside threatening messages targeting schools and students. The trend originated overseas and spread rapidly through TikTok and Snapchat before reaching the United States.

Schools in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Minnesota, West Virginia, and other states have reported similar incidents. In Assumption Parish, Sheriff Leland Falcon warned parents this week about the trend appearing in neighboring areas. A Colorado high school student was arrested after making a post connected to the trend and was charged with harassment and interfering with school operations.

Law enforcement agencies nationwide have said they have not found credible threats tied to the trend but are investigating each report. The trend has drawn comparisons to the 2016 "killer clown" scare that also led to school threats and arrests.

Superintendent Chandler Smith said in an email Friday morning that the district followed its safety protocols and that the incident "turned out to be a non-credible threat." Smith referred further questions to the WBR Sheriff's Office. WBR Independent submitted five questions to the superintendent regarding law enforcement involvement, Friday security, the content of the note, and the level of detail provided to parents. Smith did not address any of the specific questions in his response.

This is a developing story. WBR Independent will update as more information becomes available.