Underage Teen Arrested for Strip Club Murder, Witness Sees Suspect “dumping rounds” into Victim

BY: ABQ RAW staff

POSTED: 12/19/2023 @ 8:00PM

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Downtown Albuquerque –

The Bingo card of unsual homicide stories in Albuquerque are getting filled up with the metro’s latest murder arrest. A 16-year-old who was living it up inside Knockout’s Gentleman’s Club, has now been charged in the shooting death of another man clubbing inside. Knockouts has been a long time established strip club located on Central smack dab in the center of downtown ABQ.

APD homicide detectives arrested 16-year-old Louis Mugishawimana for the murder. According to the official Instagram of Knockouts Gentleman’s Club, it is a 21 and older venue. It is unclear how Mugishawimana was able to get past bouncers ID checks and party like an adult inside.

According to APD, witnesses directed officers to the shooter who was still inside the club living his best teen life. The shooter was later identified as Mugishawimana. A witness wrestled Mugishawimana to the ground and officers detained him. He told officers that he shot the man in self-defense.

APD homicide detectives investigated the shooting throughout the day and determined that two groups of males were fighting inside the club. A security guard told detectives he saw the fight on security cameras and rushed to the dance area where he saw Mugishawimana produce a firearm and he began “dumping rounds” at the victim.

According to the criminal complaint, another witness said he tried to separate the two during the fight and heard the victim tell Mugishawimana, “Please stop you already got me.” The witness said Mugishawimana followed the victim outside the club and kept shooting at him till he was dead. The witness and another man then held down the shooter and took his weapon from him.

After Mugishawimana told officers he acted in self-defense, he declined to answer further questions and asked for a lawyer.

Detectives had to get a DNA search warrant to identify Mugishawimana because he originally concealed his identity. He was eventually positively identified and charged with an open count of murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at an occupied building, unlawful possession of a handgun by a person, and concealing his identity. It is unclear if Mugishawimana will be charged federally since the shooting happened within a school zone and also an establisment selling alcohol.

As far as we can tell out of all the shootings in the downtown school zone which was established earlier this year in May, no-one has ever been charged federally.