Disturbing new details are revealed in the arrest report for a 68-year-old man with a compound bow, arrows and knives taken into custody in the parking lot of Fernandina Beach Middle School.
In addition to charges of exhibiting a weapon on school property, armed trespassing on school property, false report of a bomb threat and resisting arrest, Ralph Jim Suarez also was charged with four counts an adult attempting to lure or entice a child younger than 16 years old, disrupting or interfering with school functions and breach of peace disorderly conduct.
He remained in jail in lieu of close to $1.3 million bail as of late Monday, Oct. 5. Court records do not list an attorney for him yet.
It began with a campus resource officer at the 315 Citrona
Drive school being notified by the principal about a suspicious man sitting in his vehicle in the front parking lot blocking the student drop-off area at about 8:25 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2.
The officer approached and could see a bayonet or sword type of knife and an open folding pocket knife spread out on a blanket in front of him and a metal compound bow with arrows. He said he was there to pickup the volleyball team, according to the arrest report obtained by The Florida Times-Union.
The officer further observed an unopened alcoholic beverage and several Masonic books spread out next to the knives and bow. When he asked to see his ID, Suarez handed him his wallet. But when the officer advised him to take the ID out for him. He became angry, began cussing loudly and threw down the wallet, according to the report.
"Due to having students, staff and parents walking in the parking lot and Suarez acting aggressively in close vicinity to the knives and bow, I advised him that he was being detained and to place his hands behind his back," the officer said in the report. "Suarez actively resisted and attempted to get back into his vehicle. Suarez was escorted to the ground and placed under arrest."
While searching him, Suarez advised there was a bomb in his car, the report said.
The school was placed on lockdown and classes delayed.
Four students also came forward and reported that several minutes prior to the incident, a man matching his description approached them in front of the school, stopped in the middle of the roadway and offered to give each student $100 to help fix his stereo inside. They said he also asked them to meet him at an unknown location after school, according to the report.
While at the Fernandina Beach Police Department, Suarez similarly stated he was asking children to fix his stereo for $100 each, according to the report.
As previously told to the Times-Union by Police Chief Jeffrey Tambasco, Suarez has no relation to the school that they could find early in the investigation. The report further stated he had no business being on school grounds.
His address is on Egret Lane in Fernandina Beach not too far away from the school, and public records show he has a Florida hunting license.
Scott Butler has been an editor/reporter specializing in public safety coverage for 26 years with The Florida Times-Union. He can be reached at sbutler@jacksonville.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: New details released in arrest of armed man outside Fernandina school
