A Texas mother is facing serious charges after allegedly purchasing ammunition and tactical gear for her son, who authorities say was plotting a “mass targeted violence” attack at a San Antonio school, according to an arrest affidavit.
A Texas Ashley Pardo, 33, was arrested on Monday and charged with aiding in the commission of terrorism. Investigators say she knowingly provided her son with materials and resources to help him plan and potentially carry out an attack. The alleged plot targeted Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School and created a credible threat of serious bodily harm, according to the Bexar County arrest affidavit obtained by CNN affiliate KSAT.
A Texas Despite multiple warnings from local law enforcement, child protective services, and school officials about her son’s troubling behavior and apparent intent to commit mass violence, Pardo allegedly downplayed concerns. The affidavit claims she told the school she was not worried about his actions. Authorities allege that Pardo supplied him with tactical equipment, ammunition, and other items in return for helping babysit his younger siblings.
A Texas Authorities noted that some of the gear she provided was similar to items used in previous mass violence incidents.
Pardo’s bond was set at $75,000. She was released from Bexar County Jail on Tuesday after posting bail, according to county records. Her next court hearing is scheduled for July 17. She has requested a court-appointed attorney.
CNN has reached out to both Pardo and the public defender’s office for comment.
The investigation began after an incident on May 12, when Pardo’s son reportedly arrived at school wearing a mask, camouflage jacket, and tactical pants, but left shortly afterward. When authorities couldn’t locate him, school staff feared he might return with the intention of launching an attack. In response, additional police officers were stationed on campus, and the school was thoroughly searched for any potential threats.
The student was ultimately detained off-campus, according to a letter sent to parents by school officials on Monday.
In the letter, the school’s principal emphasized their commitment to safety, writing, “Please know we take all potential threats seriously and act immediately to protect everyone in our care. Student safety is a top priority at SAISD schools, and we want to keep families informed of situations as soon as we are able.”
According to the arrest affidavit, the student’s grandmother contacted San Antonio police on Monday after discovering alarming items in her grandson’s bedroom. She told officers she had recently learned that Ashley Pardo had given him ammunition. The grandmother said Pardo had taken the teen to a local military surplus store, where she allegedly bought him tactical gear, including magazines, a ballistic plate-compatible vest, a tactical helmet, and military-style clothing.
Authorities reported that the grandmother also found loaded magazines and a makeshift explosive device fashioned from a mortar-style firework. Disturbingly, the device bore a handwritten label reading “For Brenton Tarrant”—a reference to the white supremacist who killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019. The device also featured the phrase “14 words” and multiple “SS” symbols, both associated with white supremacist ideology.
The affidavit states the grandmother additionally discovered a handwritten note listing names of mass shooters along with the number of victims in each case. On the morning before school, the boy reportedly told her he was “going to be famous” and referenced “14 words,” further raising alarm.
In January, school staff discovered troubling drawings, including a map marked “suicide route,” the school’s name paired with an image of a rifle, and various timestamps. When questioned, the student admitted to being fascinated by mass shooters and their manifestos, according to the affidavit.
Roughly a month before his detention, the student was suspended for using a school-issued computer to research the New Zealand mosque shootings, the affidavit adds.
Despite multiple warnings, the affidavit states Pardo showed no concern for her son’s behavior. “It has been expressed to the Defendant the concerns of her child’s expression and desire to commit acts of mass violence,” the document reads.
The student had been enrolled in an alternative education program in April, but returned to Rhodes Middle School in May. Due to ongoing concerns, school officials implemented a specific security plan upon his return.
CNN has reached out to both the school and the San Antonio Independent School District for comment.