Officials said the daycare center was closed at the time of the alleged incident.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) arrested a man who allegedly tried to enter an Austin daycare center with a gun on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
The owner of Four Points Primrose School reported that a witness who was in the parking lot at the time of the crime informed her that she saw the suspect attempt to open two locked doors to the facility.
This prompted the owner to notify the DPS. When authorities arrived on the scene, the owner provided surveillance footage of the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Aaron Whitfield, arriving in the parking lot in his green Toyota Tacoma nearly an hour after it closed.
According to an affidavit, officials observed a man exit the vehicle and walk toward the school entrance with what appeared to be a handgun in his left hand.
The suspect appeared to realize that the daycare was closed and left soon after.
The owner sent a photo of the surveillance video to her staff to update them on the situation. A staff member recognized Whitfield as someone who lives nearby because of his car.
The owner, along with an employee and the parking lot witness, worked with the DPS to help identify Whitfield. He was arrested on October 5, a day after the incident.
Whitfield was charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon in a prohibited place, threatening terrorism and disorderly conduct. Whitfield’s arraignment took place on Friday, October 7, according to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.
Bail was set at $530,000, according to the prosecutor’s office. If Whitfield were to post bail, the judge ordered other restrictions, including that he must not possess firearms, according to the prosecutor’s office.
“Our office takes any threats made against our schools here in Travis County extremely seriously,” Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said in a statement. “In this case, we thank the DPS soldiers for their quick response and believe we have done what is in the best interest of our community’s public safety.”
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