Latest news with #RhodesMiddleSchool
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Texas mother charged with buying ammo and tactical gear for son who planned to attack middle school
A Texas mother has been charged with aiding her son plot a terror attack against his middle school by buying him ammunition and tactical gear, police and court documents said. Ashley Rosalinda Pardo, 33, was arrested Monday on one count of aiding in the commission of terrorism in San Antonio. She allegedly dismissed her 13-year-old son's violent drawings and fascination with mass shootings, and went on to purchase him the alarming items, police said. San Antonio Police on Thursday announced the son, a student at Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio, was arrested and charged with terrorism. He was not identified as he is a juvenile. The boy first came to police attention after he drew disturbing, violent images of his school and 'expressed a fascination with mass shootings,' in January, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told reporters in a news conference. After that, police continuously met with him and his family, officering resource and services. Months later in April, the boy was suspended for researching mass shootings on a school-issued computer. The day of his suspension, he attempted suicide, McManus said. He attended an alternative school amid his suspension. When he returned Rhodes Middle School in May, the school increased security, and police maintained contact with the family. On May 11, a family member saw the boy "hitting a live bullet with a hammer." The boy claimed to the relative 'his mother bought him the bullet and tactical gear,' McManus said. That family member was identified as the boy's grandmother, WOAI reported, citing the affidavit. The grandmother learned from the boy that Pardo had been taking her son to military surplus stores, and purchased military clothing including a tactical helmet, tactical vest and various handgun and rifle magazines — allegedly in exchange for babysitting his younger siblings, WOAI reported citing the affidavit. The grandmother went through the child's room and found the magazines loaded with ammunition, found an improvised explosive device made with a mortar-style firework, and a note on the kitchen table with references to mass shootings, terror attacks, white supremacy and Nazism, WOAI reported citing the affidavit. The next day, Monday, the grandmother contacted police after finding the ammo. The student arrived at Rhodes Middle School on Monday, wearing a mask and tactical gear but left shortly afterwards. Police said it's not clear if he was armed at that time. After police received the tip, police got a warrant and located the juvenile 'before anyone was harmed,' McManus said. Pardo was arrested the same day. McManus said that Pardo had been contacted previously by police, the school and child protective services, but "she appeared to be dismissive and unconcerned with her son's behavior." "Her behavior is not only dangerous, it's abhorrent, especially as a parent,' McManus said. Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio said in a statement that the student was arrested in connection with unspecified online comments. 'I want to inform you of an incident that involved a student. Our police department investigated a concern with some posts the student made online. The student was detained off-campus and is being charged with terrorism. Please know we take all potential threats seriously and act immediately to protect everyone in our care,' Principal Felismina Martinez wrote. The boy remains in custody. Officials said this marks the first time someone has been charged with terrorism in Bexar County. Pardo posted a surety bond of $75,000 on Tuesday. She does not have an attorney listed yet in court records. Pardo could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday. She has not entered a plea and has a pre-indictment hearing set for July 17, online court records show. Under her bail conditions she must wearing a GPS, remain in her home, submit to drug alcohol testing weekly, and is ordered to not possess firearms. This article was originally published on
NBC News
15-05-2025
- NBC News
Texas mother charged with buying ammo and tactical gear for son who planned to attack middle school
A Texas mother has been charged with aiding her son plot a terror attack against his middle school by buying him ammunition and tactical gear, police and court documents said. Ashley Rosalinda Pardo, 33, was arrested Monday on one count of aiding in the commission of terrorism in San Antonio. She allegedly dismissed her 13-year-old son's violent drawings and fascination with mass shootings, and went on to purchase him the alarming items, police said. San Antonio Police on Thursday announced the son, a student at Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio, was arrested and charged with terrorism. He was not identified as he is a juvenile. The boy first came to police attention after he drew disturbing, violent images of his school and 'expressed a fascination with mass shootings,' in January, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told reporters in a news conference. After that, police continuously met with him and his family, officering resource and services. Months later in April, the boy was suspended for researching mass shootings on a school-issued computer. The day of his suspension, he attempted suicide, McManus said. He attended an alternative school amid his suspension. When he returned Rhodes Middle School in May, the school increased security, and police maintained contact with the family. On May 11, a family member saw the boy "hitting a live bullet with a hammer." The boy claimed to the relative 'his mother bought him the bullet and tactical gear,' McManus said. That family member was identified as the boy's grandmother, WOAI reported, citing the affidavit. The grandmother learned from the boy that Pardo had been taking her son to military surplus stores, and purchased military clothing including a tactical helmet, tactical vest and various handgun and rifle magazines — allegedly in exchange for babysitting his younger siblings, WOAI reported citing the affidavit. The grandmother went through the child's room and found the magazines loaded with ammunition, found an improvised explosive device made with a mortar-style firework, and a note on the kitchen table with references to mass shootings, terror attacks, white supremacy and Nazism, WOAI reported citing the affidavit. The next day, Monday, the grandmother contacted police after finding the ammo. The student arrived at Rhodes Middle School on Monday, wearing a mask and tactical gear but left shortly afterwards. Police said it's not clear if he was armed at that time. After police received the tip, police got a warrant and located the juvenile 'before anyone was harmed,' McManus said. Pardo was arrested the same day. McManus said that Pardo had been contacted previously by police, the school and child protective services, but "she appeared to be dismissive and unconcerned with her son's behavior." "Her behavior is not only dangerous, it's abhorrent, especially as a parent,' McManus said. Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio said in a statement that the student was arrested in connection with unspecified online comments. 'I want to inform you of an incident that involved a student. Our police department investigated a concern with some posts the student made online. The student was detained off-campus and is being charged with terrorism. Please know we take all potential threats seriously and act immediately to protect everyone in our care,' Principal Felismina Martinez wrote. The boy remains in custody. Officials said this marks the first time someone has been charged with terrorism in Bexar County. Pardo posted a surety bond of $75,000 on Tuesday. She does not have an attorney listed yet in court records. Pardo could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday. She has not entered a plea and has a pre-indictment hearing set for July 17, online court records show. Under her bail conditions she must wearing a GPS, remain in her home, submit to drug alcohol testing weekly, and is ordered to not possess firearms.
New York Post
15-05-2025
- New York Post
Texas mom allegedly bought weapons, gear for young son to shoot up middle school — in exchange for babysitting siblings
A Texas mother allegedly bought her young son weapons and military gear in exchange for babysitting his siblings so he could fulfill his dream of becoming famous by committing 'mass targeted violence' at his middle school. Cops arrested Ashley Pardo, 33 — who sports purple hair and multiple face tattoos in her mug shot — Monday and charged her with aiding in commission of terrorism for helping the boy plan to conduct 'mass targeted violence' on the Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio, according to an affidavit obtained by ABC News. That same morning, the boy's grandmother, with whom he stayed occasionally, found him 'hitting a live bullet with a hammer,' the outlet reported, citing the court document. When she asked him where he got it, the youngster — whose age has not been revealed — replied that his mom gave it to him and that she had 'guns and ammunition at her house.' Ashley Pardo, 33, is accused of helping her young son buy weapons and gear to carry out a mass shooting at his San Antonio middle school. Bexar County Sheriff's Office The grandmother searched the boy's room after he left and found a makeshift IED — a mortar-style firework wrapped in duct tape along with rifle — as well as magazines loaded with live rifle and pistol ammo, the affidavit said. There was also a handwritten note that mentioned mass shootings along with their suspects and the number of victims, it added. The name of the mass shooter who opened fire in a Christchurch, New Zealand, mosque in 2019, killing 51, was written on the device, along with Nazi references and '14 words,' a nod to white supremacist symbolism, according to the affidavit. Before Pardo came to take her son to school, he turned to his grandmother, who was not identified, and told her that he was 'going to be famous,' reports and the affidavit said. Pardo's son arrived at school that morning wearing a mask, camouflage jacket and tactical pants. The boy was 'detained off-campus and is being charged with terrorism,' Rhodes Middle School Principal Felismina Martinez wrote in a letter to parents. 'Please know we take all potential threats seriously and act immediately to protect everyone in our care,' she added. 'We will always remain vigilant to ensure our learning and working environment is safe and secure.' Pardo is accused of helping her son plan to conduct 'mass targeted violence' on Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio. Google Maps Law enforcement began investigating Pardo's son in January after school officials became concerned about drawings he had done of the school, including a map marked 'suicide route.' He also had the school name written beside a rifle, according to the affidavit cited by the outlet. He told investigators that he had a 'fascination with past mass shooters,' the document stated. In April, he was suspended after looking up the Christchurch mosque shooting on a school-issued laptop, the affidavit added. Later that day, he 'attempted suicide with a straight razor causing significant injuries and requiring over 100 stitches,' the document stated. He was sent to a different school until May 7 before returning to Rhodes Middle School last week, according to KHOU 11. Pardo knew about her son's behavior and had been in contact with local law enforcement, child protective services and school officials, according to the affidavit. The mother allegedly brushed off his alarming behavior and defended his 'violent expressions and drawings,' the affidavit said. Pardo was released on a bond of $75,000 on Tuesday, according to jail records. Her next court appearance is July 17.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mother allegedly buys ammunition, tactical gear for son's planned 'mass targeted violence' at middle school: Officials
A Texas mother has been arrested and charged for allegedly buying ammunition and tactical gear for her son's planned "mass targeted violence" at his middle school, officials said. Ashley Pardo, 33, was arrested on Monday and charged with aiding in commission of terrorism after she allegedly provided ammunition and tactical gear to her son, whose behavior demonstrated plans for a "mass targeted violence" aimed at Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio, according to an affidavit obtained by ABC News. Back in January, Pardo's son was first contacted in reference to "drawings of the local school he currently attended," the affidavit said. These drawings included a map of the school -- labeled "suicide route" -- and the name of the school written beside a rifle, the affidavit said. The son, who was not named in the affidavit, was contacted by officials at the time and described a "fascination with past mass shooters," according to the affidavit. MORE: Former National Guardsman allegedly plotted ISIS-inspired attack on Michigan military facility In April, the son was found researching the 2019 Christchuch mosque shooting in New Zealand -- a tragedy that killed 51 people -- on a school-issued computer, the affidavit said. He was "subsequently suspended and later in the day attempted suicide with a straight razor causing significant injuries and requiring over 100 stitches," the affidavit noted. The boy attended an alternative school until May 7, according to officials. His grandmother, with whom he had been staying "on various occasions," contacted police on Monday after she found her grandson "hitting a live bullet with a hammer," the affidavit said. The middle schooler told his grandmother he received the bullet from Pardo and that she had "guns and ammunition at her house," according to the affidavit. MORE: Police searching for missing girl after mother arrested for allegedly locking sibling in closet The grandmother told officials Pardo had been taking the boy to a local surplus store and bought him magazines, a tactical black vest "capable of concealing ballistic plates," a tactical black helmet and various army clothing, the affidavit said. On Monday, the boy told his grandmother he was "going to be famous" before being picked up by his mom and taken to school, according to officials. The grandmother then looked through the boy's bedroom, where she found magazines loaded with live rifle ammunition and pistol magazines loaded with live ammunition, the affidavit said. She also found an "improvised explosive device" -- a mortar-style firework wrapped in duct tape -- among the boy's belongings, the affidavit noted. The explosive device had the words "For Brenton Tarrant," referencing the shooter in the 2019 mosque attack, along with multiple "SS" symbols and "14 words" -- referencing white supremacy -- written on it, according to the affidavit. Along with the weaponry, the grandmother found a handwritten note referring to previous mass shootings, mass shooting suspects and the number of victims in each incident, the affidavit said. MORE: Mom arrested after son was reported walking alone Pardo had been aware of the threats made by her son, expressed to the school her support of his "violent expressions and drawings" and said she did not feel concerned for his behavior, according to the affidavit. The affidavit noted that Pardo was purchasing the gear and ammunition for her son in exchange for babysitting his younger siblings. The school told officials that on Monday, the boy arrived wearing a camouflage jacket, mask and tactical pants and left shortly after, the affidavit said. In a letter sent to parents on Monday, Rhodes Middle School Principal Felismina Martinez said Pardo's son was "detained off-campus and is being charged with terrorism." "Please know we take all potential threats seriously and act immediately to protect everyone in our care," Martinez said in the letter. "We will always remain vigilant to ensure our learning and working environment is safe and secure." Pardo was released on a bond of $75,000 on Tuesday, according to jail records. She will return to court for a pre-indictment hearing on July 17, according to court records. If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 [TALK] for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Mother allegedly buys ammunition, tactical gear for son's planned 'mass targeted violence' at middle school: Officials originally appeared on
