UPDATE: Somerton School District #11 has provided a release, noting the district has a timely community safety forum event coming up on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
Tierra Del Sol Elementary came under threat Tuesday morning. At approximately 10:04 a.m., an adult man later identified as Jovani Landers entered the school lobby and verbally threatened to injure children.
Landeros didn't act out on the threat, however. Instead, he left the school shortly thereafter.
In response, school staff immediately initiated a soft lockdown and notified the Somerton Police Department.
Landeros' vehicle was later located, and he was arrested near U.S. Highway 95 and Avenue G at 11:10 a.m. At the time of his arrest, he was not armed.
By 1:46 p.m., the school lockdown had been lifted.
SPD's press release noted that all threats are taken seriously, especially when they involve the safety of children.
They thanked the U.S. Border Patrol, the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office and the San Luis Police Department for their immediate response, which included deploying multiple units and providing technological resources to help resolve the situation.
"The school’s Safety Officer remains on campus, and student safety continues to be our top priority," SPD's release read. "The subject will be booked into jail on multiple charges."
The case remains under active investigation, however. SPD requests that anyone with information regarding the case contact them at 928-627-2011, or 78-CRIME if they wish to remain anonymous.
Somerton School District #11 also sent out a press release Wednesday addressing the community and thanking law enforcement for their immediate response.
"We recognize that such events can be unsettling for students, staff, and families," wrote SSD11. "Please know that the safety of our schools remains our highest priority. We are confident in the strength of our security protocols and the rapid response demonstrated by our school teams and law enforcement partners.
"Safety is a shared responsibility, and we encourage our community to remain alert and to report any concerns immediately."
SSD11 also noted the timeliness of their upcoming community safety forum, which will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 5:30 p.m. in the Tierra Del Sol Elementary cafeteria.
"This couldn’t have been planned for a better time as District Administration and Law Enforcement will be able to share all the processes we have in place to ensure safety for our schools," SSD11 wrote.
This reporting is supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation.
