Paducah man arrested after foot pursuit that put Easter Seals on lockdown

A Paducah man was arrested after a foot pursuit that forced the Easter Seals Center to go on a brief lockdown.

Paducah Police witnessed the driver of a vehicle commit several traffic violations before pulling into the parking lot of a store and going inside. The driver, 18-year-old Christian Smith of West Paducah, later came out of the store and started walking away, leaving the vehicle. As officers approached Smith, he took off on foot.

The foot pursuit took Smith and the officers through several yards and over a couple of fences. Smith then ran inside the lobby of the Easter Seals Center on 29th Street, reportedly taking a seat at a table. Officers caught up to Smith and arrested him. Smith is said to have told officers that he had marijuana on him and that he had tossed a pistol into the bushes outside. The center was placed on lockdown until the situation was under control. Police took possession of both the drugs and the gun.  

Smith was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon on school property, possession of marijuana, fleeing or evading police, tampering with physical evidence, and disorderly conduct.