DONNA, Texas (ValleyCentral) — New information on the arrests of several Donna teenagers shows they admitted to planning a school shooting.
Nathaniel Seth Montelongo, 17, and Barbarito Pantoja, 17, were arrested by the Donna Police Department on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Two other students were also arrested.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by ValleyCentral provided additional details on the arrests.
According to the affidavit, an anonymous tip led investigators to Montelongo, who confirmed the legitimacy of the planned shooting. He provided a detective with a “detailed explanation of his role” in the school shooting, which was scheduled to take place on Friday, June 3 at Donna High School.
Montelongo said that he, Barbarito Pantoja, and another student were going to enter the school on the last day of classes and shoot multiple individuals with firearms.
Donna Independent School District police then detained Pantoja, who confirmed Montelongo’s statement.
Pantoja also providing a detailed explanation and added that there was a fourth student involved in the plans.
Investigators conducted a search of Pantoja’s residence where they found documents “pertaining to the planning and execution” of a shooting at Donna High School.
Officers detained the two juvenile students. A rifle and body armor were recovered at the location during the detention of one of the students.
The two students were interviewed by investigators, who also implied themselves in the planned school shooting, according to the affidavit.
At a May 26 press conference, Donna ISD Police Chief Donald O. Crist spoke on the severity of the situation.
“We stopped an act of physical violence and harm on our students,” Crist said.
Montelongo and Pantoja were each issued bonds totaling $750,000.
