A 17-year-old Pace High School student has been arrested on terroristic threat charge after he allegedly made threats to kill students at Veterans Memorial High School, according to an arrest affidavit.
Juan Carlos Guerrero allegedly made the threat in a video that was viewed by members of the Veterans Memorial High School volleyball team.
Guerrero, dressed in white shorts and peach colored hoodie and who was barefoot, appeared Thursday before Brownsville Municipal Court Judge Rene De Coss who set a $20,000 bond on the terroristic threat charge and a $5,000 personal recognizance bond on a possession of a controlled substance charge.
According to an Oct. 19, affidavit for Guerrero’s arrest, Brownsville Independent School District police were notified from Veterans High School Principal Linda Gallegos that several volleyball players came to her with urgent concerns about a video where a male subject said “any…from Vets wanna come see me, come see me…I’ll kill yo…ass.”
Guerrero was identified as the male on the video.
The video was the result of wins over the Pace High School football games, according to the affidavit. “Due to an upcoming volleyball match against James Pace High School, the volleyball players feared that Juan Carlos Guerrero would act on his threats of violence,” the affidavit reads.
The social media post prompted BISD to have extra police officers and security guards at the game since Guerrero had attended previous athletic functions prior to the video’s posting.
“Principal Gallegos stated the students were fearful of the comments made in the video and caused further concerns with parents for student safety,” the affidavit reads.
Authorities also contacted Guerrero and told him he was not to attend any Veterans High School functions.
“I want to commend Veterans Memorial High School Principal Linda Gallegos and her staff for their timely and appropriate response to this safety threat,” said Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz, in a statement. “Students need to feel that if they alert administrators of potential threats, they will be supported and that’s exactly what Principal Gallegos did.”
Police, executing a search warrant, reportedly found THC, alcohol and a bullet in Guerrero’s vehicle that was parked on the school grounds at Pace High School, according to Thursday’s arraignment hearing.
The Brownsville Herald has reached out the Brownsville Independent School District seeking information pertaining to Guerrero being charged with making a terroristic threat.
