A Gainesville man was arrested this week for allegedly trespassing at a local elementary school and interacting with students.
Hall County Sheriff's Office spokesperson B.J. Williams said the incident happened Tuesday afternoon at Lyman Hall Elementary School on Memorial Park Road.
"A suspect by the name of Victor Hugo Yanez-Aguayo just showed up on the school playground," Williams said. "He attempted to interact with students who were playing soccer on the playground. He apparently approached them, kept trying to get the soccer ball and wanted to engage with them in the game."
Williams said Yanez-Aguayo, age 24, had no known ties to the school and did not have permission to be on the campus or the playground. Hall County Schools Superintendent Will Schofield said law enforcement was contacted once staff noticed the man on the playground.
Williams said the school was locked down and Yanez-Aguayo was arrested.
"The school resource officer assigned to Lyman Hall actually found the suspect as he was climbing a fence between the school and Titshaw Drive," Williams said. "The SRO was able to detain him and question him."
Schofield said the principal of the school contacted parents about the incident.
Yanez-Aguayo faces misdemeanor charges of loitering on school premises and disruption of a public school. He's being held in the Hall County Jail without bond.
Williams said the motives for Yanez-Aguayo entering the playground are unclear, but she said he had no prior offenses to indicate he intended to harm any of the children at the school.
The case is still under investigation.
