An alarming incident unfolded outside of Gladys Poet-Christian Elementary School in Tracy on Tuesday afternoon. A 20-year-old Tracy resident, identified as Shiva Sharma, is accused of trying to lure children from the school by promising them candy.
Around 2:20 p.m., as students were being dismissed, Sharma allegedly approached the campus and attempted to convince two young girls to accompany him to his vehicle. According to Kaylin Heefner, a spokesperson for Tracy police, Sharma's intent was to entice the children to a store to buy candy. Fortunately, the two girls immediately reported the suspicious encounter to an adult, who called 911.
Luis Napoles, a third-grader at the school, recounted the distressing scene, "I just saw the police out of the gate and I got really scared because I didn't know what was happening."
Upon confrontation by a parent, Sharma, believed to be armed with a screwdriver, fled the scene. School staff pursued him, and with their guidance, officers were able to apprehend Sharma in a field behind the Raley's on South Tracy Boulevard.
This isn't Sharma's first encounter with law enforcement. He was previously arrested on attempted kidnapping charges when he tried to rob a student walking to a Tracy high school. Heefner commented on the previous incident, "He then continued to follow him to school where he wanted to get on campus with him so he could potentially rob somebody else."
The community is in shock. A parent named Chris voiced the concerns of many, stating, "The fact that somebody can be so bold in broad daylight in the middle of a pickup line with parents is absolutely terrifying, so we all need to be vigilant as a community."
Following the incident, Sharma was detained and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on two counts of attempted kidnapping.
Tracy Unified released an official statement expressing gratitude to the Tracy Police Department and emphasizing the importance of student safety. The district also shared a letter to parents, penned by Albert Strong, the Principal of Poet-Christian School, which detailed the incident and provided safety tips for students. The letter encouraged families to discuss safety with their children and reassured them that counseling services are available for those affected by the event.
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