Isaac Paradise, 18, snarled at police in a booking photo after a foot chase through an elementary school campus triggered lockdowns at multiple schools in Clovis, California.
The Clovis Police Department said Paradise, also of Clovis, was arrested Tuesday on the grounds of Sierra Vista Elementary School following a mile-long pursuit that began at an apartment complex near Sunnyside and Shaw avenues. Officers had responded there earlier that morning to reports of an attempted vehicle theft.
Witnesses told police the suspect fled toward Clovis Avenue, prompting officers to give chase. During the pursuit, the department’s Drone First Responder and a helicopter from the Fresno Police Department provided overhead assistance as Paradise ran onto the Sierra Vista Elementary campus.
“Sierra Vista Elementary was placed on a brief ‘lockdown’ due to the police activity on and around their campus,” the department said in a statement.
The disruption extended beyond one school. “School staff also placed Clark Intermediate on a ‘shelter in place’ order and Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) on a lockdown during the police activity,” police added. The restrictions were lifted once officers determined the area was safe.
Kelly Avants, chief communications officer for Clovis Unified, said Sierra Vista Elementary students were moved indoors quickly as a precaution. “This lockdown was activated to allow Clovis Police Department officers to conclude activity that began off campus and required officers to enter our campus to apprehend a suspect in a neighborhood incident,” Avants explained. Normal operations resumed after Paradise was taken into custody.
The attempted car theft that sparked the chase was not Paradise’s only alleged offense. During a search of the suspect’s property, officers said they discovered evidence linking him to another attempted vehicle theft at a neighboring apartment complex. Police noted that all stolen property has since been returned to the victims.
Paradise was booked into Fresno County Jail, where his mugshot was released to the public. The photo shows the teen snarling at the camera with visible missing teeth. He faces multiple felony charges related to the incidents.
The morning’s events unfolded rapidly from a routine call about car theft to a multi-agency pursuit involving aerial surveillance and emergency protocols at three separate schools. The lockdowns, while brief, underscored the disruption that can ripple through a community when police activity spills onto campuses.