Man arrested for making terroristic threat against Euless elementary school

EULESS, Texas - Euless police arrested a man on Monday accused of issuing a terroristic threat against an elementary school earlier this month.

Jerrekus Pendleton, 35, is currently in the Tarrant County Jail being held on $15,000 bond.

The threat was against Oakwood Terrace Elementary in Euless on Oct. 5. The school temporarily went into lockdown until students were released.

Court documents say Pendleton threatened to go to the school with other men and assault rifles and kill the children of his ex-girlfriend because he claimed she owed him money.

READ MORE: Euless police investigating area around elementary school

On Oct. 5, police say the mother of two students called the principal at Oakwood Terrace Elementary school in the HEB ISD, saying her ex-boyfriend made threats to the school.

Brenda Alvarado with the Euless Police Department says the principal of the school alerted them. 

"Most of the time, we get tips from students about a potential threat. In this case, it was a bit different coming from a parent," she said.

Jerrekus Pendelton (Source: Tarrant County Jail)

Court documents say the principal was told Pendleton allegedly had masks and assault rifles. The documents also say a neighbor allegedly saw him with the weapons. 

Investigators say Pendleton himself called the school asking if two of the children were at the school. His name was not on the approved list, and the children’s mother was called. The school was immediately placed on lockdown. 

"Our officers were on a first name basis with some of our principals. They have our phone numbers, and so it helps communication really fast," Alvarado said. "We were able to set up a secure perimeter at the school very quickly." 

Court documents paint a vivid image of what types of threats were made. 

One text said, "I’ll hate have to do something that will end me [up emoji] in prison forever over some little azz [money bag emoji]." 

The texts went on to say, "I bet you I make the news. [smiley face thinking emoji] school or work." 

Court records say Pendleton, who is a convicted felon with several previous weapons convictions, then sent the mother a screenshot image from Google Maps of the contact information for the elementary school. 

The texts continued, "my and 2 [explitive] with assault rifles ready to [firecracker emoji] tf out. Taking everything out this bihh police [police emoji] pull [up emoji] whole shootout." 

"This wasn’t just a case of us getting information and hearing it third party," Alvarado said. "We actually saw text messages and heard voicemails of that individual making those threats." 

When officers took the mother to the police department, they say Pendleton continued to call her phone from a blocked number. 

"We had some phone conversations with him," Alvarado said. "He did not turn himself in, so we did work with the Texas attorney general’s fugitive squad in locating his whereabouts and took him into custody this Monday."

Investigators say the night before the threats were made, investigators say Pendleton allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend, and Fort Worth police responded. Pendleton claimed the woman owed him money.