Tracy man accused of on-campus attempted kidnapping, police say
By Web staff
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TRACY, California (KCRA) — Tracy police arrested a 20-year-old man after attempting to lure two children from their school Tuesday afternoon, officials said.
Shiva Sharma of Tracy faces two counts of attempted kidnapping and was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail.
“It’s very concerning to us,” Sgt. Michael Richards with Tracy police said. “It was something similar to, ‘Hey let’s go to the store to get some candy.'”
Police said they got a call around 2:20 p.m. Tuesday about an attempted kidnapping at Gladys Poet-Christian Elementary. A parent confronted the man believed to be Sharma, causing him to run away, police said.
School staff chased the man while they were on the phone with 911 dispatchers, police said. That helped officers pinpoint where the man was.
Police said officers took Sharma into custody in a field behind the Raley’s in the 2500 block of South Tracy Boulevard, about seven minutes after the first 911 call. That Raley’s is roughly a mile away from the school.
Sharma had a screwdriver with him, police said.
A spokesperson for Tracy Unified School District said staff train for this exact situation, adding in part:
“We are grateful to the Tracy Police Department for arresting this individual within minutes and keeping everyone safe. We encourage our families to talk to their students about what they can do to keep safe, protected, and unharmed. If any of our staff and students feel they need counseling, they can visit the school office and it will be arranged for them.”
Police said nobody was injured. Jail records show Sharma will be in court on Thursday.
“Right now it’s a matter of going through the court system, and hopefully, this person is held accountable for their actions,” Richards said.
Sharma was also arrested in 2022 after trying to rob a high school student at knifepoint. He was charged with kidnapping, attempted robbery, drug and weapons charges.
Sharma approached a student near Tracy Boulevard and Beverly Place, brandishing a knife and demanding money, police said.
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