Texas Mother, Son Held in School Attack Plot

Ashley Pardo, a 33-year-old mother from San Antonio, Texas, has been arrested and charged with aiding in the commission of terrorism after allegedly providing her middle school-aged son with live ammunition and tactical gear for a planned attack on Rhodes Middle School. Authorities began investigating in January 2025 after the boy created violent drawings, including a map labeled 'suicide route,' and referenced mass shootings. He was suspended in April for researching the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack and displaying an interest in white supremacist ideologies. The plot was uncovered when his grandmother found loaded magazines, an improvised explosive device, and extremist materials in his room, and saw him striking a live bullet with a hammer. Pardo admitted to buying the gear as a reward for babysitting and told the school she supported her son's violent expressions. Both Pardo and her son are now in custody, and school officials have reassured parents about ongoing safety measures.