Uvalde Shooter’s Cousin Arrested After Allegedly Threatening to Repeat School Massacre

A Texas teenager related to the gunman behind the deadly Uvalde school shooting was arrested after family members allegedly told police he threatened to carry out a similar attack at a local school.

Nathan James Cruz, 17, was taken into custody in San Antonio on August 7, 2023. According to court records cited by multiple news outlets, he faced charges of making a terroristic threat against the public and a family member.

Cruz is the cousin of Salvador Ramos, the 18-year-old who killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. The massacre devastated the community and became one of the deadliest school shootings in American history.

According to an arrest affidavit, Cruz’s mother contacted police after learning about statements he allegedly made to his sister. The teenager reportedly said he wanted to “do the same thing” as Ramos and threatened to shoot up a school.

His sister also told investigators that Cruz had threatened to shoot her in the head. She reportedly feared he might act on the threats because of the family’s connection to the Uvalde massacre.

The allegations raised additional concerns because the family reportedly lived across the street from Gardendale Early Learning Program, an elementary-level educational facility. Cruz’s mother also told police she had overheard him attempting to obtain an AR-15 rifle through what she described as an illegal private sale.

According to the affidavit, the mother was particularly concerned because her son was allegedly intoxicated at the time and was already on probation.

Police arrested Cruz following the reported threats. He denied making the threats when questioned by detectives, according to court records. The allegations were not proof that he had carried out or would have carried out an attack.

The arrest came just over a year after the Uvalde tragedy, which had already raised difficult questions about school safety, warning signs and how authorities respond to threats of mass violence.

The case also highlighted the fear experienced by families who believed the teenager might repeat the actions of his infamous relative. Authorities treated the reported statements seriously enough to take him into custody and pursue criminal charges.

Source:  Dailymail