Central Valley High School students were placed in lockdown mode Monday afternoon as Stanislaus County Sheriff's deputies responded to calls of a man shooting a weapon in an orchard miles away.
"That turned out to be a big nothing," said Sheriff's Department spokesman Royjindar Singh.
Callers phoned 911 at 2:30 p.m. initially believing that the man was shooting at passing vehicles from an orchard behind Central Market at 5401 Central Avenue. Some also reported that the man was "waving the gun at a threatening manner," said Singh.
Deputies responded - as did Ceres Police and the California Highway Patrol - to surround the house and call out the occupants. The man in question explained that he was only target practicing in front of a dirt berm behind the store and that he didn't point his gun at anyone. He apparently was retrieving ammunition stored in the front of his house and within sight of customers coming and going at the store.
"There was no crime," said Singh. "He didn't get arrested nor charged. They just lectured him on how to be more careful because there's a road next to his house and he is next door to a store. Shooting in the country is common."
The incident may have proved to be nothing but tied up about two hours of police manhours and inconvenienced motorists who were turned away from Central Avenue between Grayson Road and Keyes Road.
The lockdown at Central Valley High School to the north was lifted in time for the students to leave. Central Avenue was reopened at 3:30 p.m.
"That turned out to be a big nothing," said Sheriff's Department spokesman Royjindar Singh.
Callers phoned 911 at 2:30 p.m. initially believing that the man was shooting at passing vehicles from an orchard behind Central Market at 5401 Central Avenue. Some also reported that the man was "waving the gun at a threatening manner," said Singh.
Deputies responded - as did Ceres Police and the California Highway Patrol - to surround the house and call out the occupants. The man in question explained that he was only target practicing in front of a dirt berm behind the store and that he didn't point his gun at anyone. He apparently was retrieving ammunition stored in the front of his house and within sight of customers coming and going at the store.
"There was no crime," said Singh. "He didn't get arrested nor charged. They just lectured him on how to be more careful because there's a road next to his house and he is next door to a store. Shooting in the country is common."
The incident may have proved to be nothing but tied up about two hours of police manhours and inconvenienced motorists who were turned away from Central Avenue between Grayson Road and Keyes Road.
The lockdown at Central Valley High School to the north was lifted in time for the students to leave. Central Avenue was reopened at 3:30 p.m.
