A 29-year-old San Rafael man, Eugene Thomas Jenkins, was arrested on June 5, in connection with threats made against Laguna Hills High School students, staff, and events following a championship football game in December 2022, according to a Marin Independent Journal report.
Laguna Hills High School's football team faced Bellarmine College Preparatory for the Class 3-A state championship at San Jose City College and, after overcoming a 20-point deficit, emerged victorious with a 28-27 win, affirmed by Associated Press (AP) News. Eugene Thomas Jenkins, reportedly a fanatic of Bellarmine's sports teams, began sending threats shortly after the game.
Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Carrie Braun stated that at least 10 death threats were sent as letters through the U.S. Postal Service while other threats included false reports of a possible shooter approaching the campus, a bomb threat, and a phoned-in death threat. Some of the most recent threats targeted Laguna Hills High School's senior graduation ceremony held on June 1, prompting additional safety measures to be implemented.
Before the graduation ceremony, Orange County sheriff's deputies, with the assistance of several other law enforcement agencies, monitored locations used by Jenkins to send the threats in anticipation of any further disruptions, according to the Marin Independent Journal. Jenkins was found and positively identified at one of these locations, leading to his arrest on June 5.
Jenkins was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of criminal threats, a false report of a bomb, a false report of an emergency, threatening a public officer and making obscene or threatening phone calls. He is currently being held without bail, as reported by the LA Times.
During the course of the investigation which was conducted by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, 14 victims were identified. However, further information regarding the victims and their connection to the school or staff has not been disclosed. The probe was carried out with the assistance of numerous law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the San Rafael Police Department, the U.S. Postal Service, the BART Police Department, and the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District among others.
Jenkins' exact connection to Bellarmine College Preparatory remains unclear, but it was confirmed that he had no history of adult criminal cases in Marin County Superior Court. Although the exact method of how Jenkins was identified as the suspect has not been disclosed, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department declined to release his booking photo.
Jenkins was set to appear in Orange County court on Tuesday.
