AURORA, Colo. — The dean of Aurora West College Preparatory Academy arrested for bringing a gun to school and threatening staff is now out on bond.
According to the arrest affidavit, Tushar Astab Rae, 30, had an argument with principal Taya Tselolikhin on April 2 because he felt like he was “not receiving acknowledgement and recognition he felt he was owed.”
The next day, Rae did not show up for work but allegedly texted Tselolikhin around 2 p.m. asking her to meet him in his office.
When they got to his office, he shut the door and pulled out his handgun, put it on the desk and said “Try to f— with me,” according to the affidavit.
“You shouldn’t have said what you said. I don’t want to hurt you, I’m going to hurt all the people around you,” he threatened, according to the affidavit.
Rae then allegedly threatened to “shoot the knee caps off” two other school administrators, adding that he had two extra rounds in his pocket.
Following the threat, the affidavit said that two students came to his office, at which point he put the gun away and they had a brief conversation with them before Tselolikhin also left.
She put the school on lockdown and Rae was later taken into custody at his home without incident.
Now, the investigation continues.
There is increased security and heightened patrols at administrators’ houses.
Rae was originally put on a $200,000 bond. The Problem Solvers knocked on his door to try to get answers, but he didn’t come to the door.
One person who spoke out Thursday is a parent with a daughter who goes to Aurora West. The parent — who did not want to be identified — said her daughter is still affected by the initial lockdown last week and the details behind the Rae’s arrest.
“Since then, she has not been able to sleep very well. She has not been able to eat. She is nervous all the time,” the parent said, adding that her daughter did not go to school on Tuesday. “She made herself physically ill because she didn’t want to go because she doesn’t trust and it’s really hard to put that trust back.”
Aurora Public Schools says extra counselors are at the school and are available to help students, but the mother said more may be needed.
“She’s not getting the help that she’s asking for,” the parent said. “Kids should feel safe. All the kids should feel safe, and when it’s somebody of authority that does something like this, it’s hard to bring back that trust.”
Rae and Tselolikhin are both on administrative leave. The Problem Solvers did talk to Tselolikhin. She had no comment.