Louisiana Man Accused of Shooting at Teens Toilet Papering Homes

Toilet papering someone’s house—also known as TP-ing, depending on where you’re from—used to be considered a harmless prank that many kids and teens enjoyed pulling on one another. However, in Arnaudville, Louisiana, a recent night out TP-ing people’s houses almost turned ugly when a nearby homeowner allegedly fired on a group of teens.

The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office posted about the incident on its Facebook page on Oct. 13, sharing the mugshot of a man the sheriff’s office says was arrested after firing on the high schoolers. Fortunately, no injuries were reported at the time of the incident.

Deputies were called to the scene, and they took Travis Frederick into custody. Now, the 71-year-old faces several charges, including attempted manslaughter. 

The sheriff’s office says it is still investigating the incident. But that hasn’t stopped the story from going viral as people weighed in on the incident online, with some surprisingly coming to the homeowner’s defense.

The Teens Were TP-ing a Neighbor’s House

St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office posted a photo of Frederick’s mugshot, which was taken after his Oct. 12 arrest. According to the caption, they got the call around 11:57 p.m. on Monday, when they were called to the 1300 block of Rue de la Porte.

“During the investigation, deputies learned that several local high school students had been in the area participating in a prank that involved throwing toilet paper over nearby residences,” the post explained. “A neighboring homeowner, identified as Travis Frederick, 71, of Arnaudville, exited his residence carrying a firearm and fired a round in the direction of at least five individuals.”

A Car Was Hit With a Bullet

The post continued to explain how the high schoolers attempted to flee the scene, loading into one of their vehicles. “Frederick fired a second round, striking the vehicle,” the Facebook post continued. 

According to the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, Frederick was charged with one count of attempted manslaughter, five counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, and one count of aggravated criminal damage to property. 

The online database maintained by the sheriff’s office shows that Frederick is currently in custody at the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center after being booked at 5:55 a.m. on Oct. 13.

People Shared Their Opinions on Social Media

The Facebook post quickly started to go viral, receiving hundreds of comments from people. “With the crazy things happening, people don’t know what’s going on,” one person wrote. “Parents should warn their kids of the danger. On the other hand, firing at a vehicle while taking off is a bit much.”