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A teen related to the man who killed 21 people at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, has reportedly been arrested. He’s accused of threatening to cause similar carnage.
Per Bexar County Central Magistrate records, Nathan James Cruz, 17, was arrested on two counts of making “terroristic threat[s].” One charge was for threatening a relative, while the other was for making threats inciting fear or serious bodily injury.
According to a warrant obtained by KSAT, Cruz is accused explicitly of threatening to “do the same thing” that Salvador Ramos did at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022. In a 911 call a family member made to authorities in San Antonio, Texas, Cruz is reportedly accused of remarking, “School is starting soon.”
The caller — who CNN identified as Cruz’s mother — also noted that the suspect lives near an elementary school. However, the specific institution hasn’t been publicly identified.
Furthermore, we should add that Cruz is accused of “attempt[ing] to acquire an AR-15 through an illegal private sale” on Monday, according to KSAT.
Later that same day, however, the teen was taken into custody. The court set his bond at $160,000.
In a statement to The New York Times, San Antonio Police Sergeant Washington Moscoso confirmed that Nathan Cruz is the cousin of Salvador Ramos, who wreaked havoc on Uvalde last spring.
On the morning of May 24, 2022, Ramos gunned down 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. Ramos also lost his life during the ordeal.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, responding authorities were widely slammed for their inaction during the massacre. Ramos’ father told The Daily Beast, “He should’ve just killed me.”
Cruz was arraigned on Monday (Aug. 7), and it’s unclear when he’ll head to trial.
