John McCarthy was arrested by Gainesville police for allegedly saying he would “drown kids and kill adults” because the school wasn’t doing anything for his son who was almost drowned by students.

John McCarthy was arrested by Gainesville police for allegedly saying he would “drown kids and kill adults” because the school wasn’t doing anything for his son who was almost drowned by students.

Gainesville Sun

A father was tired of his son being bullied and not seeing anything done.

When his boy came home with a popped blood vessel in his eye it was the final straw. He went to the school and gave it 24 hours to address the bullying before he would “rain hell,” police said.

On Thursday morning, John McCarthy had a meeting with the principal of Westwood Middle School in Gainesville to discuss students bullying his son. During the meeting McCarthy said “If I have to come out here again I will have to drown kids and kill adults,” Gainesville police said.


john mccarthy.jpg

John McCarthy

Alachua County Jail

He then said the school had 24 hours to address the bullying happening to his son. He repeated this statement on his Facebook account in a post sent later that morning.

“Westwood Middle School has been given a 24hr notice to correct this issue the right way, before I rain hell on them!” McCarthy’s post read.

McCarthy didn’t just write a warning to the school, he also detailed what happened and has happened to his son.

“This is the 3rd time that my son has been PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED under your watch. AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN,” he said. “Im not one of those soft ass parents, I will go to jail or the grave before I sit by and let this happen.”

The most recent incident involved a group of kids cornering his son in the pool during gym class. McCarthy said the boys “splashed him and assaulted to the point of busting a blood vessel in his eye, giving him a black eye and almost drowning him.”

The boy went and told the PE coach, and McCarthy said his response was to “Stay away from them.” McCarthy’s son then was called into the deans office the next day and “made to APOLOGIZE to the kids SO THAT THEY DO DO NOT JUMP HIM!”

McCarthy also wrote about the incident at the middle school.

“They removed me from campus today because I used my words like a big boy and they felt the campus was not safe while I was there, so I removed my son from the campus bc I feel he is no longer safe without me there.”

After writing that none of the children who have assaulted his son have been suspended from the school, he ended his post with:

“Funny things is, I can probably be arrested for this post, but these people can still roam around campus intimidating my son. NOT ON MY F—— WATCH!”

Gainesville police arrested him Thursday night.

Police said he admitted to going to Westwood Middle School and meeting with the principal, but McCarthy told them that he did not make the threats but state that his kid was almost drowned by other students.

He also admitted to posting the comments on Facebook and insisted his intent was to protest the school after the 24 hours, police said.

McClarthy’s Facebook has been deactivated.

According to reporting by Gainesville Sun, Jackie Johnson, the Alachua County Public Schools’ spokeswoman, said Westwood received some threatening calls about the incident Friday, and Gainesville police is looking into them.

She also said the school investigated the bullying claims against McCarthy’s son and found them to be unsupported.

“But it is one of those situations where people do not have the facts, and they are unfortunately jumping to conclusions, and in the worst-case scenarios, repeating threats against the principal,” Johnson told the Sun. “And that is certainly inappropriate.”

McCarthy is facing an extortion charge and was released from the Alachua County Jail Friday afternoon on a $10,000 bail.

Miami Herald Real Time Reporter Devoun Cetoute covers breaking news, Florida theme parks and general assignment. He attends the University of Florida and grew up in Miami. Theme parks are on his mind in and out of the office.





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