Armed disturbance in Arkadelphia causes alarm for elementary campus

A disturbance early Wednesday morning on Caddo Street raised alarm for students and staff at Peake Elementary School. The incident has been resolved and police say there is no threat to the campus. The suspect has since been placed in police custody.

Arkadelphia Police Chief Jason “Shorty” Jackson said in a media release that there was a disturbance involving an armed individual that had taken place sometime before 8:45 a.m. Oct. 9 at a Caddo Street residence two blocks west of the K-4 campus.

“No shots were reported, and the suspect involved had reportedly fled in a southern direction from the residence” near Caddo and South 19th streets, the chief said.

The disturbance summoned officers to the location, where a perimeter was established around a wooded area when police witnessed the suspect run into the woods.

APD asked that Peake go into a “secure” status while police searched the area for the suspect. Schools are put on a secure status to safeguard students and staff based on activity in the surrounding area, not in the school or on school grounds. Students and actives are moved inside, all doors are locked, and no one can leave or enter the building without police or district approval.

Police searched the wooded area for about 30 minutes, Jackson said, but were unable to locate the suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Alunzo Leeper, of Arkadelphia. At 9:15 a.m. the search was called off, and Peake was given the “all clear” status.

“At no time was this individual on school property, and extra officers were present on school property while the search was conducted,” Jackson said. “The investigation into the original disturbance is ongoing, and no threat to the school or the general public is believed to exist at this time.”

Before noon, Leeper had turned himself in to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office for warrants unrelated to Wednesday’s incident. He was issued a citation for misdemeanor fleeing from the incident and left in the custody of the Clark County Detention Center.