CCSO arrests 2 for disturbance near school

Two men were arrested Wednesday morning following a disturbance outside Eastside Elementary School in Lake City that led to the campus’s lockdown.

According to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) press release, deputies arrested Tyrese Bradley, 21, and Ja’ Marion Terry, 19, following an incident outside the school.

The incident started when Eastside Elementary School Resource Deputy Kobe Kimble was making his security rounds along the inside perimeter of the campus. Kimble noticed a disturbance at a residence across the street from the school and contacted dispatch to have patrol units respond.

Before the units arrived, Kimble observed Bradley allegedly lift his shirt, appearing to expose a weapon, while arguing with subjects in a vehicle. Kimble then had the school placed on lockdown and Bradley walked away from the residence.

When patrol deputies arrived and confronted Bradley, he fled on foot towards East Duval Street. A CCSO deputy pursued Bradley and noticed he was armed with a handgun and apprehended Bradley a short distance later. The firearm was discarded during the foot pursuit but recovered near where Bradley was apprehended, according to the release.

As other deputies arrived on scene, it was communicated to Kimble, who was still in front of Eastside, that another male subject – later identified as Terry – was seen running in the direction of the school near an apartment complex.

When Terry appeared from the corner of the complex, Kimble confronted Terry at gunpoint and apprehended him. A firearm was discovered that appeared to have been discarded in the area Terry was arrested. The gun was identified and reported stolen out of Duval County.

“This incident reinforces my commitment to have fully sworn deputies in all of our schools,” Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter said in the release. “Had there not been someone on campus with this type of training and experience, this situation could have been much worse.”

Both Bradley and Terry were transported to the Columbia County Detention Facility.