A Texas mother and her 13-year-old son were taken into custody Monday after authorities said the child was found with ammunition, tactical gear and an improvised explosive device, which his mother allegedly purchased for him.
Ashley Pardo, 33, was arrested and charged with aiding in the commission of terrorism after her son, who had a known fascination with mass shootings, showed up to Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio on Monday wearing a mask and tactical gear, police said.
“We don’t know whether he was armed when he showed up at the school,” San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said at a press conference Thursday. “He may well have been, but we don’t know that now.”
The child left the school shortly after his arrival but was then arrested off campus, police said.
“The young man was apparently planning some act of violence based on the things that we found out he was doing,” McManus said while explaining the terrorism charge.
