According to an arrest affidavit, a Texas mother purchased ammunition and tactical gear for her son, who was allegedly planning “mass targeted violence” at a San Antonio school.
Ashley Pardo, 33, was arrested on Monday and charged with aiding the commission of terrorism. Authorities say she gave her son material support and resources, knowing they would be used to plan and carry out an attack.
The alleged plot put Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School “in further fear of serious bodily injury,” according to a Bexar County arrest affidavit obtained by CNN affiliate KSAT.
Despite being contacted by local law enforcement, child protective services, and school personnel and being aware of her son’s desire to “commit acts of mass violence,” Pardo told the school she was unconcerned about his behavior, according to the affidavit.
Authorities claim she bought tactical equipment, ammunition, and supplies for her son in exchange for babysitting his younger siblings. The affidavit states that she “intentionally and knowingly aided” her son.
“The Defendant’s refusal to see [her son’s] concerning behavior and her assistance in gathering items for him that have been found to have been used in other acts of mass targeted violence, it is believed she is facilitating the [boy’s] desire to carry out his threats,” according to the document.
Pardo was released from Bexar County Jail on Tuesday after posting her $75,000 bond, according to county records. Her next court appearance is scheduled for July 17. She has asked for a court-appointed attorney.
CNN has reached out to both Pardo and the public defender’s office for comment.
According to the affidavit, on May 12, the boy arrived at school “wearing a mask, camouflage jacket, and tactical pants,” and then left shortly after. When authorities couldn’t find him, school officials were concerned he’d return to carry out an attack, according to the affidavit.
According to authorities, extra security measures have been implemented, including the deployment of additional police officers and a sweep of the campus for potential devices.
The student was detained off-campus, according to a letter sent to parents on Monday. CNN has reached out to the San Antonio Police Department for additional information.
“Please know that we take all potential threats seriously and will act immediately to protect everyone in our care,” the school’s principal stated in the letter. “We will always be vigilant to ensure that our learning and working environments are safe and secure. Student safety is a top priority at SAISD schools, and we strive to keep families informed of situations as soon as possible.”
According to the affidavit, the student’s grandmother called San Antonio police on Monday after discovering troubling items in her grandson’s bedroom. According to the affidavit, the grandmother learned the previous day that Pardo had given him ammunition.
She informed authorities that Pardo had taken him to a local surplus store where he purchased tactical gear such as magazines, a tactical vest capable of concealing ballistic plates, a tactical helmet, and army clothing.
According to the affidavit, she also discovered magazines containing live ammunition and a homemade explosive device made from a mortar-style firework.
The device read “For Brenton Tarrant,” a white supremacist who shot and killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019. Authorities said it also included the phrase “14 words” and several “SS” symbols, all of which are associated with white supremacist ideology.
The boy’s grandmother also discovered a handwritten note containing what appeared to be the names of mass shooters and the number of victims from each shooting, according to the affidavit. He told her on Monday morning, before going to school, that he was “going to be famous” and mentioned “14 words,” according to the affidavit.
This was not the first time school officials expressed concern about the boy’s behavior.
According to the affidavit, school staff discovered concerning drawings by the student in January, including a map labeled “suicide route,” the school’s name written with a rifle, and several timestamps. When questioned, the student “described a fascination with past mass shooters, including their manifestos,” the affidavit stated.
According to the affidavit, the boy was suspended approximately a month ago for using a school-issued computer to research the New Zealand mosque shootings.
“It has been expressed to the Defendant concerns about her child’s expression and desire to commit acts of mass violence,” the affidavit stated about Pardo. “The Defendant expressed to the school her support of [her son’s] violent expressions and drawings and does not feel concerned for his behavior.”
The student went to an alternative school in April, according to the affidavit. When he returned to Rhodes Middle School in May, officials put in place a security plan in response to ongoing concerns about potential targeted violence, according to the affidavit.
