An unsettling day for local school children on Tuesday, Sept. 23 had them locked down in their classrooms at California Avenue Elementary.

By the end of the drama, one man was under arrest for threatening the youngsters, though no one was injured.

Calvin Tolbert, 49, of Riverbank, was arrested by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Riverbank Police Services after he brandished a pellet gun at school children. At 12:37 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of a man with a gun near California Avenue School. Several students had been playing on the school grounds and inadvertently kicked a ball in to the backyard of Tolbert’s residence, on Winners Circle in Riverbank. The ball struck a window of Tolbert’s home and authorities said that’s when he came out of his residence and was yelling at the children that he would shoot them if they didn’t stop kicking the ball into his yard. It was reported that Tolbert was holding a handgun-style firearm while yelling at the children. The weapon was later determined to be a pellet gun.

The children ran to the school where they contacted staff and told them what happened. Staff immediately locked down the school and contacted law enforcement.

Upon arrival, deputies contacted Tolbert, who was cooperative. During a search of the residence investigators located a small handgun style pellet gun in his home. Tolbert was transported to the Stanislaus County Jail where he was booked for terrorist threats and brandishing a replica firearm. He is expected to face further court action.

If you have tips regarding any crimes or ongoing cases, you can leave an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers at (209) 521-4636. Tipsters can also e-mail tips at http://www.modestopolice.com/CrimeStoppers, or text them to CRIMES (274637) by typing "Tip704" plus the message and be eligible for a cash reward.