Chaos Erupts at Homicide Scene After 10-Year-Old Fatally Shoots Teen Neighbor and Mother Brandishes Firearm

Albuquerque –

During a press conference at the scene, Albuquerque Police Department Chief Cecily Barker provided additional details about an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Halloween in the War Zone.

According to APD, the 17-year-old girl was attempting to break up an altercation involving the boy’s mother and several other individuals. Chief Barker said the 10-year-old boy initially tried to get his mother to return inside the home. However, he later went inside, retrieved a firearm, and fatally shot the teenager.

Officers responding to the teen’s homicide were then alerted to reports of gunfire coming from the same location. According to APD, as officers arrived, they heard a gunshot inside the mother’s apartment and took cover as several people exited. The mother was armed with a handgun when she left the apartment, prompting one officer to fire his weapon. APD says the officer’s gunshot did not strike anyone, and no injuries were reported. The mother then dropped the handgun and surrendered to police.

Detectives have not yet determined whether the mother was armed with the same firearm used by her son or a separate weapon.

APD says the woman is expected to face charges. However, due to the complexity of the incident, the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office has not yet determined what charges will be filed against the mother and her 10-year-old son.

APD homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of the 17-year-old girl, while the Multi-Agency Task Force is handling the investigation into the officer-involved shooting. The investigation remains ongoing, and if we learn more information about this incident, we will update you.

This homicide also raises questions about potential charges against the boy’s mother under New Mexico’s Bennie Hargrove Gun Safety Act, known as Bennie’s Law. The 2023 law holds adults criminally accountable for negligently allowing minors access to firearms.

If investigators determine the gun was improperly stored and accessed by the child, resulting in the 17-year-old’s death, the mother could face a fourth-degree felony. The District Attorney’s Office will determine whether charges are warranted under Bennie’s Law.