Detectives say Ashley Pardo “expressed to the school her support” of her child’s “violent expressions.”
A mother in San Antonio is facing charges after allegedly helping her son with intentions to carry out violent threats at a local middle school, as outlined in arrest records.
The affidavit reveals that Ashley Pardo, aged 33, was taken into custody on Monday. This followed an inquiry into threats by her son, a student at Rhodes Middle School located on San Antonio’s inner west side. The son reportedly showed an interest in past mass shooters and was found with ammunition, a homemade explosive device, and a note mentioning mass shooting events.
Pardo is accused of giving or buying her son some of those items, including the ammunition, tactical gear and “various army clothing.”
On Monday, school officials confirmed the student was detained off-campus and faces a charge of terrorism.
“Please be assured that we take any potential threats with utmost seriousness and respond promptly to protect everyone under our responsibility,” stated Rhodes Middle School Principal Felismina Martinez in a letter to families. “Our commitment is to remain constantly alert to ensure our educational and working environments are secure.”
How it was reported
A San Antonio Police Department detective first contacted the boy in January over “concerning drawings” of Rhodes Middle School, including a map labeled “suicide route,” the affidavit says. The student reportedly wrote out the name of the school with a muzzle flash drawn above it along with time stamps.
Later, in April, he was suspended after he was allegedly researching two New Zealand mosque shootings that left more than 50 dead in 2019 on his school-issued computer. He was briefly assigned to an alternative school before returning to Rhodes last week.
School officials implemented a security plan upon his return due to continuing concerns of targeted mass violence, the affidavit says.
Meanwhile, the student had been staying at a relative’s home off and on due to his behavior, authorities reported. On Monday, that relative contacted law enforcement “over concerns in regards to items she found in her home” belonging to the boy.
The woman told detectives she had found him “hitting a live bullet with a hammer and stopped him.” The affidavit says he admitted he got the ammunition from his mother, who had been taking him to a surplus store and bought him tactile gear in exchange for babysitting his younger siblings.
Documents describe the items purchased for the boy by his mother including magazines, tactical black vest capable of concealing ballistic plates, tactical black helmet and various army clothing.
The boy’s relative told detectives that, on the morning before going to school, he told her he was “going to be famous” and made mention of “14 words”—a detail that detectives said was a reference to white supremacy writings. He was picked up by his mother and left to school.
Upon searching the student’s room, arrest documents say, the relative found the magazines loaded with live ammo. She also allegedly discovered the improvised explosive device using a mortar-style firework wrapped in duct tape, an alteration the affidavit says was meant to make the device “hold more pressure than its design, causing a larger explosive force.”
The arrest warrant said Pardo was made aware of the threats made by her son and had been in contact with police, CPS and school personnel. But, detectives said in the affidavit, she “expressed to the school her support” of her son’s “violent expressions and drawings,” and wasn’t concerned by them.
She faces a charge of aiding in commission of terrorism after officials said she helped her son gather items found to have been used in other acts of mass violence. She was released from jail on a $75,000 bond.
Community reacts
On Tuesday afternoon, as parents were picking up their children from Rhodes Middle School, many were aware of the incident and disturbed.
Graciela Rodriguez has a daughter at the school. She said she is grateful the relative spoke up.
“I thank God and I thank her for that because anything could have happened, you don’t know. I could have lost my daughter you know,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said she often has conversations with her daughter about school safety because of situations like this.
“I tell her if you see anybody with a gun. If you see anybody with something they’re not supposed to have, go and report it or come tell me so I can go,” Rodriguez said.
George Chavez was in line picking up a family friend. He expressed his gratitude towards the investigators who went after the child’s mother.
“It’s directly on the parents if they enable him with the weapon and/or ammunition, they’re enabling him,” Chavez said. “They are not trying to correct it or stop it.”
