Albuquerque –
As we reported on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, a firearm was found in a vehicle on the campus of Atrisco Heritage High School. A concerned parent directly alerted us to this incident.
Having a firearm on school property, even if it’s in a vehicle, is illegal. The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act prohibits firearms in school zones, including on the grounds of public, private, or parochial schools, as well as within 1,000 feet of school property. Anyone caught with a deadly weapon on school premises can face a fourth-degree felony charge. In September of 2023, authorities arrested two Atrisco Heritage students after finding guns in their car trunks.
We have since discovered that for unknown reasons law enforcement did not initially detain the student involved. It is currently unclear whether the delay in arresting the student was due to the gun being in the vehicle, which required processing as evidence and a search warrant. However, after the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office learned about the case, they began to investigate further.
Authorities reportedly took the student, a 16-year-old male, into custody on Wednesday afternoon. The gun toting child has a hearing scheduled for tomorrow at 1:00 PM.*
The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, led by DA Sam Bregman, has taken a strong stand against guns on school campuses. In previous cases, the DA’s office has opposed the release of juvenile offenders arrested for bringing a gun to campus, ensuring they remain in jail until their trial.
UPDATE:
We have learned that the hearing has been moved to 1:30 PM.