Harvest Preparatory Academy on lockdown after gunshot was fired nearby
Suspect arrested on multiple felony charges - 13 On Your Side's Vanessa Gongora reports
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Harvest Preparatory Academy in Yuma was on lockdown for one hour this morning after police say 27 year old Abel Marcus Ruiz fired a gun nearby.
Police found him and arrested him before anyone was injured.
Yuma Police Officer Christina Fernandez says Ruiz was on 19th Street right by Harvest Prep when he fired his gun.
He's now facing several felony charges including possession of a firearm.
Fernandez says the school lockdown was done to stay on the safe side.
"Harvest prep was on lockdown and it was just a precautionary reason," explains Fernandez "Just to ensure the safety of the students and the staff not knowing exactly the extent of what the subject was doing."
After the judge announced to Ruiz he will be held without bond due to a no-bail warrant, Ruiz got upset and said the f word.
He faces four felony charges that also include drug possession priors.
Nicholas, a Yuma resident who was visiting a friend in the neighborhood says he called 911 when he heard a really loud bang and was familiar with the sound.
"Recognized it as a gunshot immediately unfortunately. I poked my head out of the window and there was a gentleman standing here in the middle of the street, over where that gentleman is now," describes Nicholas. "Right there and he was sitting next to a truck looking like he was waving his gun at somebody so at which point I promptly turned around, grabbed my phone and went ahead and called the police and let them know hey, you might wanna come deal with this."
Neighbors say it was a calm area but crime has been picking up within the last two months.
"You know I lived over next to another elderly lady, she never seemed to have any problems either but for the most part, yeah every once in a while you might hear a gunshot," continues Nicholas.
He said police arrived to the scene before he even hung up with the dispatcher and saw Ruiz get arrested.
Ruiz's next court appearance will be on Monday.
