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PAINESVILLE, Ohio (WJW) -- An off-duty Cleveland officer accused of shooting a gun in a local elementary school parking lot on Thursday appeared in court Friday morning.
Alexander Sinclair was arrested at the scene of the shooting that took place shortly after 9 a.m. outside Riverview Elementary School in Painesville Township. The incident prompted a lockdown at the school.
Sinclair appeared in Painesville Municipal Court at 11 a.m. Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to charges of felonious assault, kidnapping and discharge of a firearm. He was denied bond.
The victim, who requested a protection order, and a child she shares with Sinclair, were in the car during the incident, according to courtroom testimony. She told the judge via phone in court Sinclair followed her from a nearby daycare to the school, where he crashed his car into hers so she could not move. She said he then shot into her windshield.
While in court, Sinclair asked the woman, "I understand this whole situation. If you could just give me an opportunity to talk to the kids at some point? I would just greatly appreciate it."
The judge granted the temporary protection order for the woman and her children.
On Thursday afternoon, Riverside Schools released a statement saying, "At about 9:10 a.m., Riverview Elementary was placed on lockdown due to a domestic issue that began off-site and then carried into the parking lot of Riverview Elementary. During this dispute, a shot was fired near the vehicles involved in the parking lot, away from the school toward Madison Avenue. The shot was not fired in the direction of the school. As a result, no major injuries were reported."
Authorities said the deputy assigned as the school's resource officer learned of the disturbance and approached two vehicles believed to be involved. He then heard a single gunshot.
He saw a man, later identified as Sinclair, outside the vehicle with a gun and ordered him to drop the weapon. Sinclair then dropped the gun and a deputy detained him.
No one was shot, according to the I-Team, however, the incident resulted in a deputy with a hand injury, and a woman and child being taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution, although they were reportedly not injured.
Sources told the I-Team Sinclair was Tased by a school resource officer and transported to a hospital as well.
Sinclair is scheduled to appear for a pretrial on Monday at 8 a.m.
After Sinclair's appearance in court, Cleveland police on Friday afternoon released a statement about his arrest:
"Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd announced that Sergeant Alexander Sinclair
was arrested on Thursday, October 31, 2024, by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The incident that led to this arrest occurred outside the City of Cleveland while Sinclair was off-duty," the statement said.
According to the Cleveland Division of Police, the Lake County Sheriff's Office will conduct a criminal investigation.
According to the release, Sinclair was relieved of duty and suspended without pay pending the adjudication of the criminal charges.
"Sergeant Sinclair was hired by the Division of Police in April 2015 and most recently served in the Fifth District, Basic Patrol Section," the release said.