A 54-year-old Petaluma man has been arrested following a series of threats directed at a school district official over the presence of pride flags at local schools, according to a statement released by the Petaluma Police Department. Josh Garzoli is facing charges for his alleged criminal threats, which included a voicemail that demanded the removal of the pride flags and subsequent aggressive behavior at the school’s administration office.
The incident unfolded over several days, beginning on May 30, when Garzoli's voicemail to Petaluma City Schools Officials demanding the removal of the pride flag was left, escalating on June 2 when he arrived at the Petaluma Schools Administration Office agitated and angry, demanding the same thing, before the situation further intensified on the morning of June 5. Garzoli reportedly sent an email that contained explicit threats, including one indicating that the District Administrator would be “executed” if the flags were not removed; this caused heightened safety concerns.
The police responded promptly to the threats made on June 5, with detectives and the Community Impact Response Team (CIRT) tracking and apprehending Garzoli without incident. He has been booked into custody under suspicion of violating California Penal Code 422, a serious felony offense that deals with criminal threats. To reflect the severity of the accusations, a bail enhancement was requested and approved, setting Garzoli's bail at $750,000.
Garzoli’s alarming actions have prompted local authorities to take extra precautions, with the Petaluma Police Department assuring that they are working in close proximity cooperation with Petaluma City Schools to ensure that additional security measures are set in place and to make certain school staff students, and other community members are given a sense of safety and support. Lt. Matthew Parnow has encouraged anyone seeking further details to reach out via email at [email protected] or by phone at 707-778-4372, referencing case number 25-1879.
