Shooter outside school was off-duty officer: I-Team

PAINESVILLEOhio (WJW) – Authorities are investigating a shooting that happened Thursday in the parking lot of a local elementary school. The FOX 8 I Team was the first to tell the story.

Cleveland police officials confirmed this to police FOX 8 I Team that an off-duty Cleveland police officer was taken into custody at the scene.

PHOTOS: Car hits Ohio City restaurant

Lake County Sheriff Frank Leonbruno identified the officer in a social media post Thursday as Alexander Sinclair.

The shooting happened outside shortly after 9 a.m Rivierzicht Primary School in Painesville township.

Riverside Schools released new information Thursday afternoon:

“Around 9:10 a.m., Riverview Elementary was placed on lockdown due to a domestic matter that began outside the location and then moved to the Riverview Elementary parking lot,” the district said in a statement. “During this dispute, a shot was fired near the vehicles involved in the parking lot away from the school towards Madison Avenue. No shots were fired in the direction of the school. As a result, no serious injuries have been reported.”

The school was placed on lockdown when police arrived on the scene.

Leonbruno said the school deputy was aware of the disturbance and approached two vehicles believed to be involved. Then he heard a single shot.

He saw a man outside the vehicle with a gun and ordered him to drop the weapon. The man dropped the gun and an officer arrested him.

Sources told the I-Team that the incident started as a fight between adults.

Leonbruno said Sinclair’s vehicle collided with the other vehicle, which is when Sinclair approached the passenger side of the other vehicle and fired a bullet through the car’s windshield. The shot was fired from the school, he said.

Police say no one was shot I-TeamHowever, the incident resulted in a deputy suffering a hand injury and a woman and child being taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution, although they were reportedly not injured.

Need help arranging Christmas gifts?

Sources told the I-Team Sinclair was tasered by a school employee and also transported to a hospital.

He has since been booked into the Lake County Jail pending arraignment on charges related to the shooting, Leonbruno said.

“It is important to recognize the relationship that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office has with the Riverside Local School District and the hard work that has been done to ensure that a deputy is assigned to every school in the district,” Leonbruno wrote. “Without this arrangement, the deputy would not have arrived nearly as quickly to take the heroic actions he did to ensure all children and staff were safe. His quick and decisive response certainly prevented this incident from escalating further.”

Shortly after 10 a.m., Riverview Elementary School posted on X that there was no further threat and that the school was no longer on lockdown.

“The school day will continue as normal, but if parents want to pick up their child, they can come to school and cancel their registration,” the message said.

“We would like to confirm that at no time was there any threat to staff or students,” Riverside Schools said. “All safety protocols were implemented and followed. Local law enforcement agencies remained on site throughout the morning to assist with security checks in classrooms and buildings, direct traffic and assist students with checking out. In addition, grief counselors from Signature Health were called to the school and were available to any student or staff who wanted to speak to someone. Madison Avenue reopened around noon.”

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, visit Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.