CERES, Calif. — Three men were arrested Thursday after shooting into an elementary school classroom, Ceres police said.
Ceres police said a Hanline Elementary School employee reported someone shot at least once into her classroom. When officers arrived, they found what looked like a 9mm empty bullet shell.
Hanline Elementary School staff directed officers to a field on the west side of the campus, where the three suspects were found.
Police identified the three men as 25-year-old Juan Garibay-Acevedo, 27-year-old Max Perez-Mendez and 29-year-old Samuel Perez-Mendez.
The suspects told officers they were firing into the dirt.
Officers found three guns, shell casings, bullet jackets and live ammo that were in plain view, police officials said.
Police believe some of the casings were fired from an AK-47. Officers found six guns including a golden-plated short-barreled AK-47, over 100 shell casings of various kinds and bullet jackets while issuing a search warrant on the suspects' car.
Hanline Elementary School shares a campus with Central Valley High School (CVHS). Officers found multiple empty bullet shells when they were canvassing the high school.
Police said students practicing sports were near where officers found the empty bullet shells.
All three men face charges of shooting into an inhabited dwelling, willful discharge of a firearm with negligence, child endangerment and possession of an assault weapon.
School officials for both campuses say those who were in close contact with the students tested positive for COVID-19 are under quarantine.