by ANDY SEVILLA
New details have emerged surrounding the arrest of a Kyle city employee charged last week with a felony terror threat, painting him as “capable” of carrying out threats to shoot coworkers and the Parks Department.
Four-year Kyle Parks and Recreation Department employee Gabriel Dominic Garza, 33, was arrested and charged Jan. 7 with making a terror threat impairing public/government service, a third-degree felony, according to Hays County Jail records.
Garza’s Probable Cause Affidavit showed that four city employees affirmed that Garza was “capable of committing the shooting” he threatened to carryout against at least two coworkers and the entire department.
City officials said Garza’s employment has since been terminated.
City employee Arthur Zamarrippa told authorities Garza threatened to shoot him, because Garza was upset that Zamarrippa blocked his vehicle during an employee meeting, according to the affidavit.
But Garza allegedly threatened to shoot someone else, as well.
“The Suspect (Garza) said when he got out of the army he was coming back to shoot his fellow coworker by the name of David Johnson,” Ronnie Esparza, city employee, is attributed in the affidavit as telling authorities.
“The Suspect (Garza) was upset with Johnson because Johnson picked on him a lot. Esparza said on 01/04/13, (Garza) told him that he was going to call him on the day of the shooting so he can call in sick. Esparza stated he believed (Garza) was capable of committing the shooting,” the affidavit stated.
City employee Martin Gonzales told authorities on Jan. 2 that Garza “randomly” began discussing to shoot Johnson, and on Jan. 4 Gonzales said that after their employee meeting, Garza stated he was going to shoot Johnson,” according to the affidavit.
Johnson told authorities he was unaware of any threats made against him, but said he “believed (Garza) was possibly capable of shooting him and the Kyle Parks Department,” the affidavit stated.
City spokesman Jerry Hendrix said that at the time of Garza’s arrest, no weapons were found on his person or property. Hendrix would not comment last week on whether Garza was believed to be dangerous, but said, “ proper restrictions and precautions are in place, that are typical with this type of case, to ensure the safety of employees and the public.”
Garza was released on a $25,000 bond Jan. 8.
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