San Antonio Mom OK with Son’s School Shooting Plans

33-year-old Ashley Pardo has been charged with aiding in the commission of terrorism after allegedly helping her teenage son plan a mass shooting at Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio, Texas. According to the arrest affidavit, this was not a case of parental neglect. Investigators say Pardo actively enabled her son’s obsession with mass violence by supplying him with tactical gear, ammunition, and even moral support.

The signs were not subtle. Back in January, her son drew maps of the school marked with a “suicide route” and added timestamps suggesting a premeditated attack.

He later used a school-issued computer to research the Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand, which left dozens dead. After that incident, he was suspended and reportedly attempted self-harm, requiring more than 100 stitches. Despite these red flags, he was allowed to return to his home campus earlier this month under increased security.

On the day of his arrest, Pardo’s son showed up at school in a mask, camouflage jacket, and tactical pants. He left shortly afterward and was later picked up off-campus. What police found next made it clear just how close Rhodes Middle School came to becoming another headline.

At his grandmother’s home, where he sometimes stayed, investigators recovered loaded rifle and pistol magazines, along with a makeshift explosive device. The device was modified to create greater pressure and included white supremacist slogans written on it, including “14 words,” “SS,” and “For Brenton Tarrant.” Tarrant was the gunman at the Christchurch mosque shooting. They also found a handwritten list of mass shooters and their victim counts.

The grandmother told police she caught him hammering a live bullet in her home and had to stop him before it could explode. When she asked where he got it, he said Ashley Pardo had given it to him.

The teen told police that Pardo had purchased his tactical gear in exchange for babysitting his siblings. Items Pardo allegedly bought the teen include a ballistic vest, tactical helmet, and army clothing. Investigators said she had been repeatedly warned by school officials, police, and child protective services but dismissed all concerns. The affidavit states she supported her son’s violent drawings and expressions and continued helping him gather items commonly used in past mass shootings.

Ashley Pardo was arrested and later released on a $75,000 bond. She is awaiting a court date scheduled for July.

I’m not someone who typically judges people for having tattoos or brightly colored hair. But in this case, with white supremacist slogans, mass shooter references, and paramilitary gear involved, it’s fair to ask whether those beliefs were passed down from mother to son. Whether it’s columbiner ideology or something even worse, Pardo’s alleged role didn’t just blur the line between parenting and complicity. It erased it.

(Sources)