There is new information about the man accused of making threats to Penngrove Elementary School near Petaluma, prompting a lockdown and evacuation of the campus on Monday. Police say 47-year-old Kevin Harrington used to teach and coach football at Petaluma High School and at Casa Grande High School, which are in the same district as Penngrove. He allegedly made two phone calls to the elementary school on Monday, in which he said things like “I’m gonna shoot up the school.” Harrington also allegedly identified himself by name on the phone and said he had a gun and was not getting the answers he wanted. He is now facing two counts of threatening to commit a crime with intent to terrorize. Police add that one of Harrington’s children is a student at Penngrove Elementary School. Harrington was arrested on Monday evening in Nevada, near South Lake Tahoe.
Dennis Harrington, a retired longtime Petaluma High School administrator, spoke with the Press Democrat on Wednesday, two days after his son, Kevin Harrington, was arrested. The older Harrington says his son had become a “full-blown maniac” and was sleeping in motels, missions and in his car. Court records also show Kevin Harrington had gone through a divorce and his ex-wife was trying to renew a restraining order against him. He was also accused of attacking his father, leading to an elder abuse case, which is still pending. Harrington was reportedly involved in another incident at Penngrove Elementary School three weeks ago, when the school was not in session.