SAN ANTONIO, TX - On Monday, May 12th, authorities confirmed that a Texas mother was arrested for allegedly buying ammunition and tactical gear for her son's planned "mass targeted violence" at his middle school.
According to ABC News, 33-year-old Ashley Pardo was arrested on Monday, May 12th and has been charged with aiding in commission of terrorism after she allegedly provided ammunition and tactical gear to her 13-year-old son, whose behavior demonstrated plans for mass violence targeted at Rhodes Middle School.
The affidavit states that back in January, Pardo's son was first contacted in reference to "drawings of the local school he current attended." The drawings included a map of the school, labeled "suicide route" and the name of the school written besides a rifle. The son, who was not named in the affidavit, was contacted by officials at the time and described as having a "fascination with past mass shooters."
The affidavit said that back in April, the son was found researching the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting in New Zealand, a tragedy that killed 51 people. It said that the son did this on a school-issued computer.
He was "subsequently suspended and later in the day attempted suicide with a straight razor causing significant injuries and requiring over 100 stitches." Officials said the boy attended an alternative school until May 7th. The affidavit said that 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 boy told his grandmother that he got the bullets from Pardo, his mother and that she had "guns and ammunition at her house," as noted in the affidavit. The grandmother told officials that Pardo had been taking her son to a local surplus store where she bought him magazines, a tactical black vest "capable of concealing ballistic plates," a tactical black helmet, and various army clothing.
Officials said that on Monday, the boy told his grandmother he was "going to be famous" before being picked up by his mom and taken to school. After he left, the grandmother looked through the boy's bedroom where she found magazines loaded with live rifle ammunition and pistol magazines loaded with five ammunition.
The affidavit states that the grandmother also found an "improvised explosive device" — a mortar-style firework wrapped in duct tape, among the boy's belongings. 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.
The grandmother also found a handwritten note referring to previous mass shootings, mass shooting suspects, and the number of victims in each incident. The affidavit states that Pardo had been aware of the threats made by her son, expressed to the school her support of his "violent expressions and drawings" and that she did not feel concerned for his behavior."
Pardo was allegedly buying the gear and ammunition for her son in exchange for babysitting his younger siblings. NBC News reported that San Antonio Police Chief William McNanus said that when contacted by police earlier, Pardo "appeared to be dismissive and unconcerned with her son's behavior."
He said, "Her behavior is not only dangerous, it's abhorrent, especially as a parent." The school told officials that the boy arrived wearing a camouflage jacket, mask, and tactical pants. He left shortly after arriving. Pardo was released on a bond of $75,000 on Tuesday, May 13th. She will return to court for a pre-indictment hearing on July 17th. Under her bail conditions she must wear a GPS, remain in her home, submit to drug alcohol testing weekly, and is ordered not to possess firearms.
The boy remains in police custody at the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Facility pending a judge's decision. Officials said this incident marks the first time someone has been charged with terrorism in Bexar County.
According to ABC News, 33-year-old Ashley Pardo was arrested on Monday, May 12th and has been charged with aiding in commission of terrorism after she allegedly provided ammunition and tactical gear to her 13-year-old son, whose behavior demonstrated plans for mass violence targeted at Rhodes Middle School.
The affidavit states that back in January, Pardo's son was first contacted in reference to "drawings of the local school he current attended." The drawings included a map of the school, labeled "suicide route" and the name of the school written besides a rifle. The son, who was not named in the affidavit, was contacted by officials at the time and described as having a "fascination with past mass shooters."
The affidavit said that back in April, the son was found researching the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting in New Zealand, a tragedy that killed 51 people. It said that the son did this on a school-issued computer.
He was "subsequently suspended and later in the day attempted suicide with a straight razor causing significant injuries and requiring over 100 stitches." Officials said the boy attended an alternative school until May 7th. The affidavit said that 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 boy told his grandmother that he got the bullets from Pardo, his mother and that she had "guns and ammunition at her house," as noted in the affidavit. The grandmother told officials that Pardo had been taking her son to a local surplus store where she bought him magazines, a tactical black vest "capable of concealing ballistic plates," a tactical black helmet, and various army clothing.
Officials said that on Monday, the boy told his grandmother he was "going to be famous" before being picked up by his mom and taken to school. After he left, the grandmother looked through the boy's bedroom where she found magazines loaded with live rifle ammunition and pistol magazines loaded with five ammunition.
The affidavit states that the grandmother also found an "improvised explosive device" — a mortar-style firework wrapped in duct tape, among the boy's belongings. 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.
The grandmother also found a handwritten note referring to previous mass shootings, mass shooting suspects, and the number of victims in each incident. The affidavit states that Pardo had been aware of the threats made by her son, expressed to the school her support of his "violent expressions and drawings" and that she did not feel concerned for his behavior."
Pardo was allegedly buying the gear and ammunition for her son in exchange for babysitting his younger siblings. NBC News reported that San Antonio Police Chief William McNanus said that when contacted by police earlier, Pardo "appeared to be dismissive and unconcerned with her son's behavior."
He said, "Her behavior is not only dangerous, it's abhorrent, especially as a parent." The school told officials that the boy arrived wearing a camouflage jacket, mask, and tactical pants. He left shortly after arriving. Pardo was released on a bond of $75,000 on Tuesday, May 13th. She will return to court for a pre-indictment hearing on July 17th. Under her bail conditions she must wear a GPS, remain in her home, submit to drug alcohol testing weekly, and is ordered not to possess firearms.
The boy remains in police custody at the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Facility pending a judge's decision. Officials said this incident marks the first time someone has been charged with terrorism in Bexar County.
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Comments
2025-05-22T17:44-0400 | Comment by: thomas
MOM OF THE YEAR. DEPORT
2025-05-22T19:53-0400 | Comment by: Raymond
Why would they keep the kid in custody and not the Mother. And remove the other kids from her.
2025-05-22T19:54-0400 | Comment by: Raymond
Why would they keep the kid in custody and not the Mother. And remove the other kids from her?