In a shocking twist to the Uvalde tragedy, a cousin of the 18-year-old gunman responsible for the devastating Robb Elementary School massacre in 2022 has been arrested on allegations he threatened to commit a school shooting.
The arrest, which unfolded on Monday, sent shockwaves through the community once again. The individual in question, a 17-year-old, was taken into custody after a distress call from the mother of the teenager triggered a swift response from San Antonio Police Department officers. The mother claimed her son had ominously stated his intention to “do the same thing” as his cousin, who left a trail of devastation with the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 19 children and two adults.
In gripping testimony, the suspect’s sister recounted the bone-chilling incident to police at headquarters. She disclosed that while giving her brother a ride, he threatened to shoot her in the head and disturbingly added his intention to “shoot the school.” The proximity of the suspect’s residence to an elementary school only amplified the gravity of the situation.
According to the mother’s statement at the police headquarters, she overheard a conversation on Monday morning in which her son was supposedly attempting to obtain an AR-15 rifle “through an illegal private sale,” as stated in the affidavits. Authorities currently do not possess information about the person with whom the suspect was conversing, as per official sources.
Based on a Bexar County magistrate record, the San Antonio police arrested the 17-year-old on charges of allegedly making terroristic threats. These include a felony charge for making a terroristic threat towards the general public and a misdemeanor charge for making such a threat towards a family member.
The affidavits indicate that the suspect has denied making any threats.
As the case is listed as pending with the Bexar County magistrate, it remains uncertain whether the suspect has legal representation to provide a statement on his behalf.
The suspect is the cousin of the 18-year-old shooter who carried out the tragic incident at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022. That incident resulted in the deaths of 19 children and two adults. The perpetrator of the shooting was subsequently killed by law enforcement.
The Uvalde shooting stands as the second-deadliest occurrence of its kind in U.S. history within elementary, middle, or high school settings.
