Man Charged for SF School Threats

San Francisco prosecutors charged a 41-year-old man on May 15 with multiple felonies after authorities said he threatened two schools and, during his arrest, threatened city leaders. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office identified the defendant as Anatoly Smolkin and said it would seek to hold him without bail because of what it called a public safety risk. Court records cited by prosecutors say the case involved threats posted online, threats made in person at a school campus and statements made to officers during the arrest. ABC7 reported that a judge denied bail and set the case to return to court Monday. ### Who was charged, and what counts does he face? District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Smolkin was charged with two counts of making threats of violence at a sensitive location, two counts of making criminal threats and two counts of resisting an executive officer. The district attorney’s office also said prosecutors were moving to revoke his felony probation. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Court records cited by the district attorney say Smolkin was already on felony probation when the alleged threats were made. Prosecutors said he had multiple prior serious felony convictions and 10 prior convictions for making threats. ### What did prosecutors say happened at the schools? On May 11, 2026, the head of one San Francisco school saw a threatening post on one of the school’s social media accounts that prosecutors said was allegedly posted by Smolkin. (sfdistrictattorney.org) The district attorney’s office said the message named the school and described shooting people, and that the school leader considered it credible in part because two similar threats had previously been reported to authorities. On May 12, prosecutors said, Smolkin allegedly went onto the parking lot of a different school and threatened people inside the building after approaching an adult there. The next morning, May 13, he allegedly returned just before the start of school and made similar threats again. A San Francisco school was then placed on lockdown for several hours with children and teachers inside, according to the district attorney’s office. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Prosecutors said San Francisco police reviewed surveillance video from the campus and identified Smolkin. ### What did police say happened during the arrest? (sfdistrictattorney.org) San Francisco police found Smolkin at about 3:42 p.m. on May 13, according to the district attorney’s account. During the arrest, prosecutors said, he allegedly told officers that numerous city leaders would be shot if he was not released. Bay City News, in a report carried by SFGATE, said those alleged statements were included in the prosecution’s description of the case. (sfdistrictattorney.org) The district attorney’s office has not publicly identified in its release which city leaders were allegedly threatened. ### What is known about his recent criminal status? March 24, 2026, is the date prosecutors gave for Smolkin’s prior conviction for felony resisting an executive officer. (sfdistrictattorney.org) The district attorney’s office said the school-threat allegations came less than two months after that conviction. ABC7 reported that internal communication shared with one school community said the defendant had been making threats in San Francisco dating back to 2011. (sfgate.com) That report also said court documents described threats against businesses, schools, religious institutions and individuals over more than a decade. (sfdistrictattorney.org) ### What happened in court, and what comes next? May 15 was the scheduled arraignment date listed by the district attorney’s office, which said the hearing would take place at 1:30 p.m. at the Hall of Justice. Prosecutors said before the hearing that they would ask to detain Smolkin pending trial without bail. (abc7news.com) ABC7 reported that cameras were not allowed in the courtroom, that Smolkin was seen yelling profanities as he was escorted out and that a judge cited that outburst as one reason for denying bail. ABC7 said the case was set to return to court Monday morning. The San Francisco Superior Court says felony criminal matters are heard at the Hall of Justice, 850 Bryant St. (abc7news.com) (sfdistrictattorney.org)