Man Charged for SF School Threats

San Francisco prosecutors said a 41-year-old man was charged on May 15 with multiple felonies after authorities accused him of threatening two schools and later telling officers that city leaders would be shot if he was not released. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office identified the defendant as Anatoly Smolkin and said it would seek to hold him without bail pending trial because of what it called a public safety risk. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Prosecutors also said they were moving to revoke his felony probation. The charges include 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, all felonies. ### Which schools were involved, and what do prosecutors say happened there? Court records cited by District Attorney Brooke Jenkins’ office say the allegations involve an elementary school and a middle school in San Francisco. The office did not name the schools in the press release, but said one incident began with a threatening social media post and another involved threats made in person on school property. On May 11, 2026, the head of one school saw a threatening post on one of the school’s social media accounts that prosecutors said was allegedly posted by Smolkin. The head of school told authorities the threat was credible, according to the district attorney’s office, because the school had previously reported two similar threats allegedly from him and because the wording specifically named the school and described shooting people. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Prosecutors said the message appeared as a response to a school post announcing new programming for students, and the school asked for police coverage afterward. ### What happened at the second school? On May 12, 2026, prosecutors said, Smolkin allegedly entered the parking lot of a different school and approached an adult there, making what the district attorney’s office described as grave threats against people inside the building. (sfdistrictattorney.org) On the morning of May 13, he allegedly returned just before the start of school and made similar threats again. The May 13 incident led the school to lock down for several hours while children and teachers remained inside, according to the district attorney’s office. Prosecutors said San Francisco police obtained surveillance video from the encounters and immediately recognized Smolkin. (sfdistrictattorney.org) ### What do the charges say happened during the arrest? San Francisco police found Smolkin at about 3:42 p.m. on May 13, according to the district attorney’s office. During the arrest, prosecutors said, he allegedly told officers that numerous city leaders would be shot if he was not released. (sfdistrictattorney.org) The criminal complaint says those allegations came while Smolkin was already on felony probation. Prosecutors said that probation followed a March 24, 2026 conviction for felony resisting an executive officer, less than two months before the school-threat allegations. (sfdistrictattorney.org) ### Why are prosecutors seeking detention without bail? The district attorney’s office said it would ask the court to detain Smolkin pending trial without bail and to revoke his felony probation. Prosecutors also alleged in the complaint that he committed the new offenses while on probation and that he had multiple prior serious felony convictions charged as prior strikes. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Court records cited by prosecutors say Smolkin has 10 prior convictions for making threats. Jenkins said in the release that threats against schools and educational institutions are taken seriously and that her office would work to hold accountable anyone who makes them. (sfdistrictattorney.org) ### What happens next in court? The district attorney’s office said Smolkin was scheduled to be arraigned on May 15, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. At that hearing, prosecutors said, they planned to seek detention without bail and pursue revocation of his felony probation. (sfdistrictattorney.org)