Merced schools briefly locked down after man is shot in attempted robbery; suspect at large

Multiple schools were placed on lockdown Tuesday, after a man was shot during an alleged attempted robbery in Merced, according to authorities.

Merced police responded to the 100 block of West 28th Street near H Street at about 1:45 p.m. for a report of a shooting, according to Lt. Emily Foster. Officers located a 57-year-old man who was reportedly shot for refusing to give up his bicycle, according to a Merced Police Department social media post.

Foster said the victim was flown to a Modesto-area hospital for treatment of two gunshot wounds that appeared not to be life-threatening.

Police said the suspect, described as a man in his 20s with long curly hair, took off running eastbound on 28th Street toward G Street following the shooting, according to the victim and witnesses.

Foster said Burbank Elementary School was placed on lockdown for a half-hour as a precautionary measure while police searched nearby. John Muir Elementary School, Ada Givens Elementary School and Hoover Middle School were also locked down for less than 10 minutes.

“We don’t believe there was any threat to the schools,” Foster said.

According to police, officers located a gun in Bear Creek believed to have been used in the shooting.

Foster said police were out canvasing neighborhoods and looking for any witnesses or video surveillance from the area.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Pinnegar at 209-388-7712 or by email at pinnegarj@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.

This story was originally published October 5, 2021 at 5:20 PM.