Person of Interest Speaks Out

By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
Reporter@sbnewspaper.com

“This is not my fault,” said Juan Manuel Garcia in Spanish, in an exclusive interview with the San Benito News. Garcia is the man accused of threatening to open gunfire at one or more schools within San Benito Consolidated Independent School District on Friday, Jan. 16.

Investigators with the San Benito Police Department said they are working to uncover the motive of the San Benito man who may have falsely alerted authorities to a potential shooting that warranted a Code Red lockdown of schools within SBCISD on Friday morning.

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Friday, SBPD Assistant Chief of Operations Michael Galvan said, “The original caller will be coming in for questioning. … One person (already came in for questioning and) claimed to corroborate the original story.”

Garcia, a 45-year-old man from San Benito, said that the caller’s accusations are false. Speaking in Spanish, Garcia said, “No, that’s totally a lie. … It’s been like two weeks since I’ve been in San Benito.”

Around 9:00 a.m. on Friday, SBPD Police Chief of Operations Martin Morales said the department received a phone call from a male saying that another male “was making threats that he was going to come shoot at the school — somewhere around the school.”

Morales said the caller threatened that, “If law enforcement interfered, (the man) was going to shoot at us as well.”

At 11:27 a.m., after thorough investigation, SBCISD officially lifted the lockdown. At 12:30 p.m., a press conference was held at SBPD where Morales alerted that a potential suspect had been identified but was presently located in the Pleasanton, TX area.

Morales said authorities were not releasing further information at that time.

Later in the afternoon, however, Garcia — who has reportedly been working in the Pleasanton, TX area for at least two weeks — was questioned by the local authorities. According to Garcia, “I got things in order here. Already, the police told me they don’t have any charges against me.”

Regarding the caller’s motive, Galvan posed the following question, “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. What would the motive be to make up this story?”

According to Garcia, the accuser was his friend. Garcia further stated that the false allegations resulted from a personal dispute between the two men around 6 a.m. earlier Friday morning when the men allegedly argued over a $200 loan and borrowed firearms.

Garcia offered a public apology, saying, “I want to clear my name, because a lot of people know me. I didn’t have anything to do with that threat. I want the people to know I had nothing to do with it … I ask for forgiveness from all those families who went through that bad moment.”

 

Editors Note: Staff Writer Dina Arévalo contributed to this report by interpreting Garcias Spanish commentary.

Want the whole story? Pick up a copy of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.

 

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2015/01/16/breaking-person-of-interest-speaks-out/

12 comments

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  1. @ Perry White
    Your comment is so true. But, unfortunately these people are the same people that think Limon was a great Superintendent. In my opinion, the superintendent should be graded by the educational results of our children and also the financial statues of the school district. Limon, in my opinion, failed at both and the results are there to prove so. So far, Dr.Puig has said the right things but it takes time to implement his strategies as well as see results. So, all we have to do now is elect Board Members that will allow Dr.Puig to do his job without micro-managing him, but hold him accountable for the success or failures of our children’s eduction. Ana Cruz, Fatima Huerta must go 2015! Ana Cruz will have a strong opponent with a lot of support running against her, trust me!!!!

  2. @Robert
    It’s very difficult to ” lighten up” when you have certain politicians that ignore our children’s best interest and are there for their personnel gain. We need to get to that point, but for now, we must make better change for the betterment of our children’s education. So, that means voting for candidates that have children and understand the value of a great education.. Ana Cruz is OUT!!!

    • Robert on January 20, 2015 at 9:22 pm
    • Reply

    to Voter/Parent: Lighten Up!

  3. @candidate
    I have news for you, it’s not going to be that easy to run a slate. Here we go again with the ” slate” approach , and the power trip to take control. Trust me there will be a wrench thrown into the mix, and at the end of the day your slate will not win. Bring it!!!! We’re ready for change, 2015..

    • Candidate on January 19, 2015 at 2:13 pm
    • Reply

    Voter/parent: I have done more than enough research. Hone in on one candidate? Not even close…. All candidates running for re-election have no business getting elected.
    New slate is ready!

  4. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marc Puig has been at his new position for only a few weeks and he has vowed that their will be changes.

    However, there are some citizens in San Benito that are of the opinion that changes happen overnight. They don’t! Changes are studied, planned, and executed in an orderly fashion. Some changes will be successful and other will not be successful. The key is they take time.

    So please afford Dr. Puig the time and patience to implement his changes before criticizing his management style after only a few weeks as Superintendent.

    So STOP

  5. @Candidate
    With all your self proclaimed education you’ve undertaken, it’s amazing how your honing in on one particular candidate. By you taking a side you already lost my vote! Your the type of candidate we’re trying to eliminate. The other two Lady’s have done absolutely nothing but take advantage of free meals and personnel gain. Don’t throw stones without doing your research.. By the way, Ana Cruz and Fatima Huerta will Not get re-elected…

    • Candidate on January 18, 2015 at 2:51 pm
    • Reply

    At Sam: good point. In my superintendent class they talk about parent communication. This superintendent needs to review those class notes. Informing parents is one thing; keeping all the attention on it is another.
    Let us move on to academics and curriculum in our schools which is dire need of help.
    Cannot wait for those spectacular candidates to run against that former board president/ insurance letter writer.

    • Get a grip on January 18, 2015 at 2:45 pm
    • Reply

    To Perry: it is one thing to keep parents inform via their phone message system and it’s another thing to keep all this in the spotlight.
    The San Benito news did a good job. As I read it, it was the supt that Sam was talking about. And yes, I have grandchildren at the schools and we were notified via a phone message. Parents were informed… Maybe you weren’t. Be happy? I suggest you take these words for yourself.

    1. to Get a Grip!………………..

      #Sam’s comment

      “Why in the world would anyone, to include the superintendent,….”

      use of the word ANYONE infers that he was including the San Benito News in his comment and/or critique for “bringing too much attention to this situation”

      “GET A GRIP” by AEROSMITH!

      Same old same old every day if things don’t change you’re just gonna rot

      ‘Cause if you do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you always got

      Oh, could that be nothin’?

      So “VOTE SMART” in the CITY and SCHOOL elections because not only is IT but ALSO

    • Sam on January 16, 2015 at 10:42 pm
    • Reply

    Why in the world would anyone, to include the superintendent, bring so much attention to this situation. Didn’t anyone pay attention in the superintendent class 101? Evidently not!

    1. Sam, it is called “NEWS”, which the public is entitled to, and “INFORMING or KEEPING the PARENTS UPDATED”, part of Superintendent Seminar 101.

      Your cavalier attitude towards what transpired leads me to believe you do not have kids in the SB CISD.

      If the San Benito News did not report the news and the Superintendent did not keep public and parents updated, somebody else would be screaming Why didn’t they?.

      “Darn if you do and Darn if you don’t.”

      “BE HAPPY!”

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