Shooting at University of New Mexico Dormitory
One person lost their life, while another sustained injuries in a shooting that occurred early Friday at a dormitory at the University of New Mexico.
The campus was put on lockdown, and authorities cordoned off the student housing area as they searched for the suspect.
Investigators were seen around a vehicle covered with yellow tape in the parking lot.
Tim Delgado from the University of New Mexico Police stated that the shooting involved two visitors in the dorm, who were not enrolled students. He added that the suspect was still at large as of Friday afternoon, with no confirmation on whether they remained on campus.
During this time, students were instructed to shelter in place while police facilitated evacuations across parts of the campus.
Delgado mentioned, “We were conducting student orientation, with about 400 students in the dorm, so our priority was to ensure their safety.” The first alert about the shooting was issued before 3:30 a.m.
When campus police arrived at the Casas del Rio Housing Center, they discovered two individuals with gunshot wounds. By around 6 a.m., another message was sent over social media urging people to evacuate.
Various law enforcement agencies were actively participating in the investigation, according to university officials.
Mikey Beck, a student at the orientation, reported hearing gunshots and seeing someone he believed was injured hiding in some bushes. He mentioned that two individuals jumped out of a dorm window and fled the scene.
Beck expressed mixed feelings, saying he was excited to start his freshman year but found the situation unsettling. “It’s really tough here. Just being in Albuquerque feels quite scary,” he reflected.
Nearby, students were seen waiting to board a university bus, many carrying backpacks and pulling small carts filled with their belongings.
A spokesman, Cinnamon Blair, characterized the response as a “staged and tactical evacuation” via email and advised people not to move without direction from campus police.
Details about the victims and whether they were students were not disclosed immediately, nor was there information regarding the suspects.
The Casas Del Rio complex, managed by Lobo Development Corp, comprises four sets of furnished apartment-style suites.
Approximately 23,000 students attend the University of New Mexico during the academic year, with many freshmen, like Beck, participating in orientation activities ahead of the fall semester, which starts in about three weeks.
In recent years, New Mexico’s largest city has faced challenges with rising violent crime, particularly among younger individuals. Sam Bregman, the district attorney who is pursuing the Democratic nomination for governor, has advocated for stronger measures to combat this crisis.
This push for legislative action comes in light of various incidents, including a fatal hit-and-run in Albuquerque and a shooting in Las Cruces that claimed three lives and injured 15 in March.
Prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and some Republican legislators are urging Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to call a special session to tackle the state’s crime-related issues. Although the governor voiced her disappointment with the Democratic-controlled legislature at the last session’s end, no recent signs indicate she will reconvene lawmakers in Santa Fe.
