San Antonio police arrested and charged a mother this week with buying ammunition and tactical gear for her middle school-aged son, who authorities said was planning a violent attack at his school.
Bexar County court documents said Ashley Pardo, 33, was accused Monday of aiding in the commission of terrorism after she bought a battle vest, helmet, clothing and ammo for the boy, who has a fascination with mass shooters and their manifestos.
The mother was taken into custody hours after her son was arrested off campus on terrorism charges, according to administrators at Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School.
Police said the youngster showed up on school grounds wearing a mask, camouflage jacket and tactical pants. Ms. Pardo’s arrest affidavit said he told his grandmother he was “going to be famous” just before his mom took him to school that morning.
The boy’s grandmother reported Ms. Pardo to the police Monday after she said she found the child “playing with a live bullet and a hammer,” according to the court documents. The boy told his grandmother that he got the bullet from Ms. Pardo because she has guns and ammunition in her home.
The grandmother also found a homemade explosive device in the boy’s room, police said. The words “For Brenton Tarrant” were written on the device, which appeared to be paying homage to the Australian white supremacist who in 2019 gunned down 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.
“It has been expressed to the Defendant the concerns of her child’s expression and desire to commit acts of mass violence,” San Antonio police wrote in its arrest affidavit for Ms. 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.”
Court records show Ms. Pardo posted a $75,000 bail Tuesday and was released. She is due back in court July 17.
Authorities said the boy was openly obsessed with mass shooters this year.
In January, police said he was suspected of creating a map of Rhodes Middle School that included a rifle drawn above the campus and had the words “suicide route” written on it.
After being confronted about the map, the boy told school officials about his fascination with mass shooters and their writings.
According to Ms. Pardo’s affidavit, the boy was suspended in April after he was caught looking up the Christchurch shootings on a school computer. The boy tried to kill himself after being given the suspension, police said.
He was sent to an alternative school until May 8, when he was allowed to return to Rhodes Middle.
