SAN JUAN — A 19-year-old woman in Puerto Rico was indicted this week by a grand jury for making thirteen interstate threats between May and October 2023 in violation of 18 U.S.C. 875(c), according to the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
“Section 875 of Title 18 prohibits the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of: (3) with intent to extort, a threat to injure the property or reputation of any person, including the reputation of a deceased person, or a threat to accuse any person of a crime. Title 18, U.S.C., section 875 applies to both interstate and foreign telephone calls or other communications. Thus, any communication that crosses state or national borders is included within the scope of the provision,” states the United States Department of Justice.
According to the indictment, the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint and other public documents, Victoria Gabriela Rodríguez-Morales, 19, used Gmail, Instagram, Facebook and Kick.com to threaten schools, hospitals and law enforcement in Uvalde, Texas.
KSAT reports that Rodríguez-Morales previously lived in Uvalde and was held in a juvenile detention center in 2018 where she continued to send emails threatening to kill public officials, shoot schools, and kill teachers and students.
“When she was released in May 2020, Rodriguez-Morales and her family moved to Puerto Rico, according to court records,” said KSAT.
“Threatening with violence, under any context, is unacceptable behavior. Making threats of violence to schools and other public institutions, is a federal crime,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “School shootings are one of the most heinous of violent acts, and those impacted by this tragedy, such as the family, friends and co-workers of the victims of the Uvalde school shooting, deserve to grieve and process their experiences in peace.”
Some of the threats referenced Salvador Ramos, who murdered in May 2022 several students and teachers from the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Rodríguez-Morales described Ramos’ victims as “all the little losers souls … I pray for them to be burning in hell.” Rodríguez-Morales’ interstate threats included the following:
“They will shoot uvalde high school and morales jr high whenever I tell ‘em So yeah the persecution is gonna start today”
“I will haunt everyone from class 2022 to 2023 Each and every single one of y’all will die”
“Each and every single one of y’all will die in the name of Salvador”
“Your childrens hospital may blow in pieces If yall dont do as i say”
“there will be bombs at the uvalde memorial hospital”
The case of Victoria Gabriela Rodriguez-Morales, self-proclaimed girlfriend of the Robb Elementary School shooter, is both disturbing and complex. It is a case that shines a light on the profound impact of mass shootings on individuals and communities, and the challenges in addressing threats and preventing further harm.
Charges and History of Threats
Rodriguez-Morales, a 19-year-old Puerto Rican woman, has been taken into federal custody on charges of making threats using interstate communications. These charges stem from a history of threats made against the Uvalde community in Texas, where the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School took place. According to court documents obtained by KSAT Investigates, Rodriguez-Morales has a history of making threats against various individuals and institutions within the Uvalde community.
Details of the Threats
Following the Uvalde school shooting, which resulted in the loss of 21 lives, Rodriguez-Morales allegedly used social media platforms to threaten hospitals, law enforcement, schools, and individuals in Uvalde. Her messages reportedly included threats of additional shootings and targeted specific individuals, including the mother of one of the shooting victims and the former police commissioner of Uvalde.
Impact on the Uvalde Community
The arrest and indictment of Rodriguez-Morales on 13 counts of making interstate threats underscore the seriousness of her actions and their potential impact on the Uvalde community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico has emphasized the gravity of illegal threats, particularly those targeting individuals who were already victims of the mass shooting in Uvalde. The arrest is intended to bring a sense of peace to those who were targeted by Rodriguez-Morales, signaling a commitment to address the harm caused by her alleged threats.
The case of Victoria Gabriela Rodriguez-Morales raises important questions about the psychological dynamics at play in the aftermath of mass shootings. Her alleged fixation on the shooter, Salvador Ramos, and her continued threats against the community suggest a deeply troubling mindset. Furthermore, her threats underscore the need for effective measures to address and prevent threats of violence, particularly in the wake of mass shootings.