Late last month, staff at a North Side charter school say they were left shaken after a barrage of violent text messages hit their phones, including one chilling line: "someone is getting shot." San Antonio police arrested 50-year-old Brian Joseph Ciaravino and charged him with making terroristic threats, authorities said.
According to KSAT, officers were called to the BASIS San Antonio Primary North Central campus on March 30 after staff reported at least six threatening text messages that investigators believe came from Ciaravino. The arrest affidavit cites messages that included, "I'm killing everyone in there but the kids and you," along with references to a sexual assault and a note that he had failed a breathalyzer test. Staff told police they were "visibly shaken," and administrators put additional safety measures in place that same day.
School Response and Bond
A spokesperson for BASIS San Antonio said the man is a former employee and that the school is cooperating with law enforcement, while a social media post from the campus shows he was named teacher of the month in April 2025, as reported by the Express-News. Court records list his bond at $50,000 and show that he posted bond on April 1. The paper reports he was placed on house arrest, required to undergo drug and alcohol testing, and ordered by a judge to have no contact with the school or its staff. The Express-News also notes that the charge, making a terroristic threat that causes fear of serious bodily injury, is a third-degree felony that can carry up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if he is convicted.
Legal Status and Next Steps
Records show Ciaravino was virtually booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on April 1 and later had an in-person booking on April 10, according to KSAT. He is scheduled for a pre-indictment court appearance on June 9, and police say the investigation is still ongoing.
