Chula Vista police were called Monday night to the Sweetwater Union High School District administration building following alleged verbal threats made by a parent against board member John McCann.
The incident followed a regular board meeting sometime after 10 p.m.
McCann said that after doing an interview with a news station, he began approaching members of the public and shaking their hands. He said when he approached Stewart Payne to shake his hand Payne made an “aggressive statement.”
“Mr. Payne said he was gonna knock me out,” McCann said. “He clenched his fist to hit me and a security guard stepped in between us.”
Payne said that never happened and said McCann approached him several times, insisting Payne shake his hand.
“I stepped backwards and refused his request again… After retreating at least three, probably four times from him, I stopped and instructed him not to continue to advance toward me,” Payne said. “I never touched John McCann and I never invaded his personal space.”
