One person has died and another has been hurt after a shooting at a University of New Mexico dorm early Friday. Students were evacuated, and hundreds were searched for safety. The suspect is now in custody.
University officials ended a shelter-in-place order later in the afternoon but kept the campus closed. Students were allowed to eat and return to their dorms, but they were advised to stay away from the area where the shooting occurred.
Mayor Tim Keller confirmed the arrest on Friday night. He shared that the situation had been resolved while withholding details about the suspect.
The shooting happened in the Casas del Rio dormitory, where the victims were visiting a student. Lt. Tim Delgado from University Police stated that these individuals were not enrolled at the university.
The day started with an alert around 3:30 a.m., reporting gunfire. Campus police found one person dead and another injured. A follow-up alert at 6 a.m. instructed everyone to shelter in place.
Mikey Beck, a freshman attending orientation, described hearing gunshots and seeing an injured person. He noted that newcomers to Albuquerque might feel uneasy. “It’s sketchy out here,” he said.
University buses were on standby to help students evacuate safely, as officials conducted a “staged, tactical evacuation.” About 23,000 students are expected on campus for the upcoming semester.
University President Garnett Stokes assured the campus community that there would be increased security in the following days, acknowledging the anxiety new students and families might feel.
New Mexico has seen a rise in violent crime, especially among young individuals. District Attorney Sam Bregman stressed the need for legislative action to address this issue. Recently, there have been multiple instances of violence involving young suspects, including a tragic incident in Albuquerque where three were killed.
As always, community safety remains a top concern. Lawmakers are being urged to tackle these pressing issues head-on to protect New Mexico’s youth and restore peace in the neighborhoods.
For more on violent crime trends in New Mexico, you can read the latest crime report.
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Crime, New Mexico, Colleges and universities, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Shootings, Law enforcement, Albuquerque, School shootings, Santa Fe, General news, Gun violence, NM State Wire, Education, U.S. news, Politics, Sam Bregman, Disaster planning and response, New Mexico state government, Tim Keller