11/01/2024
Fairport provided manpower to this incident. Thankfully it was mitigated quickly with only minor injuries.
Press Release
At approximately 0910 Hrs. on Thursday, October 31, 2024 the Deputy assigned as the School Resource Officer at Riverview Elementary (Riverside Local Schools) in Painesville Township became aware of an incident occurring in the parking lot of the school. The Deputy quickly approached two vehicles which appeared to be involved and heard a single gun shot fired. He observed a male outside the vehicle with a firearm and ordered him to drop the weapon. Once the male complied and released the firearm, a struggle ensued with the male and ultimately the Deputy was able to detain him.
The investigation indicates this incident began off the campus of the school and appears to be a domestic dispute. The matter carried onto the campus of Riverview Elementary where the vehicle being driven by the suspect collided with the other vehicle. The male suspect exited his vehicle and approached the passenger side of the second vehicle. At one point during the altercation, a single round was fired through the windshield of the second vehicle. Nobody was struck by the shot and the Deputy at the school was able to take the male into custody. Minor injuries to the Deputy, victims in the vehicle and the suspect were sustained.
Although this incident occurred on the campus of the school, the round was fired in the direction away from the school. Riverview Elementary was very quickly placed in a Lockdown and all students and staff of the school were uninjured. The incident did not carry over into the school. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and other police and fire department partners remained at the school to help with reuniting children with their parents.
The suspect in this incident has been identified as Alexander Sinclair. Mr. Sinclair has been booked into the Lake County Jail on charges related to this incident and is pending arraignment. This incident remains under investigation.
It is important to recognize the relationship the Lake County Sheriff’s Office has with the Riverside Local School District and the hard work which has been done to ensure a Deputy is assigned to every school in the district. Without this arrangement, the Deputy would not have been on scene nearly as fast to take the heroic actions he did in ensuring all children and staff were safe. His quick and decisive response certainly prevented this incident from further escalation.
We thank Painesville Twp. Fire and our other partner Police and Fire Departments who responded to provide the crucial mutual aid which was needed to help ensure the school was safe and secure. Other responding agencies include Painesville PD, Perry Village PD, Lake Metroparks Rangers, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Kirtland PD, Mentor PD, Concord Fire, Fairport Harbor Fire, Perry Fire, Grand River Fire and any other agencies who responded to assist.
Robert Izzo
Chief Deputy
