Full Notification

Incident:                 UPDATE – Threat of Violence at Casa Grande High School on June 10^th.
Occurred Date :           June 1, 2022
Case Number:             22-2255
Location:                     Casa Grande High School, Petaluma
                       
Incident Summary:
 
On June 1, 2022, the Petaluma Police Department was alerted to a potential threat of violence to Casa Grande High School on June 10^th. The Petaluma Police Department’s Investigations Unit worked diligently with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to identify the suspect, evaluate the credibility of the threat, and assess the safety of the school.  On June 2^nd, 2022, it had been determined the suspect who made the statement was in Arizona and the reference to Casa Grande School was not Casa Grande High School in Petaluma.  On June 5th, 2022, the Casa Grande Police Department in Arizona arrested 19-year-old Joshua Adam Bowen for making a terrorist threat.
 
Bowen’s online comments referred to gun violence at Casa Grande School on June 10^th.  At the onset of the investigation, Bowen’s identity and whereabouts were unknown and Casa Grande Union High School in Arizona had graduated on May 27^th.  Based on the unknown variables, the Petaluma Police Department was alerted and began an investigation.  In conjunction with school officials, it was decided to notify parents and our community out of an abundance of caution. With our understanding of the complexities of these types of investigations we were uncertain when the threat could be properly vetted, and together we wanted to ensure our community was aware of a potential threat.
 
We continue to collaborate with administrators from both Casa Grande High School and the Petaluma City School District and appreciate their partnership in keeping our students safe.  Our officers continue to provide extra patrols to our school campuses and will have a presence at the upcoming high school graduations.
 
We want to thank the public for their continued vigilance in reporting suspicious behavior as this case came to the attention of law enforcement through a tip from an alert community member.  We would also like to acknowledge the teamwork and collaboration between our local, state, and federal partners here and in Casa Grande, Arizona that resulted in this safe outcome.
 
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