Ashley Pardo case: San Antonio mom had extremist links, bought ammo for son to blow up school
Ashley Pardo was arrested on Monday for alleging she bought ammunition, magazines, and tactical gear for her son
Ashley Pardo was arrested on Monday for alleging she bought ammunition, magazines, and tactical gear for her son, who wanted to carry out 'acts of mass violence, at Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio. The 33-year-old was arrested on charges of aiding in the commission of terrorism, court records show. Now, new disturbing details have emerged in the case.
Records show that Pardo bought the items ‘with knowledge’ that they would be used ‘to plan and carry out’ a crime. This comes after her son showed up to Rhodes Middle School campus wearing a mask, camouflage jacket and tactical pants. He, however, left shortly after, police confirmed.
The school had to be swept for potential threats. The child faces a terrorism charge. Ashley Pardo posted a $75,000 bond and was released from jail. The boy was suspended last month after he allegedly researched the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting on a school-issued computer. He returned to school last week.
According to KSAT sources, the student appeared in court on Tuesday. Another hearing is scheduled for later this month. This comes after a family member reportedly contacted the San Antonio Police Department about items in the child's possession, including a rifle and pistol. They added that three loaded magazines and a note were found on him. It had several names of mass shooters written on it. The report further stated that the items were inscribed with ‘14 words’ and ‘SS’ symbols, references to white supremacy language, and previous mass shootings.
The child has not been identified yet. The court affidavit notes that Pardo was previously approached about her son's behavior and she ‘expressed to the school her support of (her son’s) violent expressions and drawings and does not feel concerned for his behavior’.
Her son reportedly had drawings featuring the school's name written beside a rifle and a map of the campus, labeled as ‘suicide note’. There were timestamps written on the drawing. He had ‘described a fascination with past mass shooters’, the affidavit adds.
