Shooting suspect arrested after standoff leads to school lockdown, Merced police say

A suspect accused of shooting at another man in Merced was arrested following a brief standoff which caused a nearby school to be placed on lockdown, according to police.

At about 1:50 p.m. Monday, officers responded to a report of a shooting in the area of R Street and West Childs Avenue, according to a Merced Police Department news release. When officers arrived on scene, a victim informed officers that the suspect, identified as 53-year-old Jerry Johnson, fired a gun at him following a disagreement.

Police said officers located a bullet hole in the victim’s vehicle and were able to recover the discharged round. No injuries were reported. Johnson was located outside his residence in the 1100 block of West 4th Street and arrested after a short standoff. Police said nearby Sheehy Elementary School was placed on lockdown out of precaution. A discharged bullet casing was located on the ground outside the home, according to the release.

During a search of the home, detectives located a .45 caliber Glock semi-automatic firearm. Johnson was booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of felony assault with a firearm and shooting at an inhabited dwelling or vehicle, according to jail records.

Police ask anyone with information regarding the alleged crime to contact Officer Fister at 209-388-7847 or by email at fisterj@cityofmerced.org. Some crimes can be reported through the Merced Police Department website and anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 209-385-4725.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted to law enforcement through the Merced Area Crime Stoppers website.