McCarthy in a Facebook post claimed his son was assaulted at Westwood Middle School

John McCarthy said his son’s middle school had 24 hours to address a bullying incident that allegedly happened during gym class. If not, McCarthy said he would “rain hell on them.”

In a Facebook post Thursday shortly before 10 a.m., McCarthy wrote that the incident was the third time his son had been physically attacked at Westwood Middle School by other students.

“A group of kids cornered my son in the pool during gym calls (sic), splashed him and assaulted to the point of busting a blood vessel in his eye, giving him a black eye and almost drowning him,” McCarthy wrote. “Funny thing is, I can probably be arrested for this post, but these people can still roam around campus intimidating my son.”

A photo of a boy with a red mark inside his left eye was shared underneath McCarthy’s lengthy post.

Police arrested McCarthy Thursday off campus after school officials reported he’d told them he would “have to drown kids and kill adults” and that the school had 24 hours to address the incident, according to Gainesville Police Department records. McCarthy told officers he did not make the threats, but he did admit to posting to Facebook.

The school principal told police he was in fear McCarthy would carry out the threats.

Brian Moore, the Alachua County Public Schools’ attorney and parent of a Westwood student, said he heard about the incident by email from the school. The email to families of Westwood students explained that someone was arrested for making threats against the school, Moore said.

The email said the parent is no longer allowed on campus.

Moore said that while a mass shooting hasn’t happened in Alachua County, students feel the impact from violence at schools around the country and that’s why such threats are taken seriously.

“They are reminded of it every month when they have to do a drill,” Moore said. “Where is the safe place in case somebody comes to school with a gun?”

Jackie Johnson, Alachua County Public Schools’ spokeswoman, said Westwood received calls about the incident Friday, some of which were threatening. GPD is looking into some of those calls, she said.

Johnson 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 said. “And that is certainly inappropriate.”

Within 24 hours, McCarthy’s post amassed more than 800 comments and 1,000 shares. Many comments were in support of McCarthy, ranging from “Fight for your baby! This is ridiculous!” to “Everyone post and share! Get this dad support.”

A woman named Alaina Johnson created an online petition on Change.org titled “Stop the BULLYING!” The petition calls for the school board to take action and suggests McCarthy’s charges should be dropped.

As of Friday, more than 2,000 people had signed the petition.