ALBUQUERQUE – A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy who had accused the younger boy of stealing his gun, Albuquerque police said Saturday.
The suspect was arrested Friday evening after the fatal shooting that morning of Andrew Burson near West Mesa High School, police said in a statement. Both youths attended the school and knew each other, the statement said.
The shooting happened when Burson confronted the 14-year-old whom Burson had accused him of stealing a gun that Burson purchased over the internet, the statement said.
The 14-year-old started to run away and Burson chased him, but the suspect pulled a gun and fired at Burson five or six times at Burson, who was struck several times and died at the scene, the statement said.
The suspect was booked into a juvenile detention center on suspicion of murder and tampering with evidence, the statement said. The Associated Press generally does not identify juveniles accused of crimes.
Police did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment about whether the gun used in the shooting was the one allegedly stolen from Burson.
Online court records did not list an attorney for the suspect who could comment on his behalf.
City and school officials said Friday the gun was not brought onto campus but that more needs to be done to ensure that children don’t have access to firearms.
Crime has been a hot-button issue in New Mexico, where Republicans have criticized the Den. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the Democratic-controlled Legislature for not doing enough in recent years to crack down through tougher penalties and other measures.
District Attorney Raúl Torrez and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, both Democrats, were among those who pushed for tougher gun laws during the recent legislative session. That included a failed measure that would have enhanced the charge of possession of a firearm by a minor to a felony rather than a misdemeanor, which does not require prosecutors to be notified.
“The connection between juveniles and weapons is extremely dangerous. It’s also something that we have to work on in our criminal justice system,” Keller said. “Right now we just do not have adequate tools to deal with a juvenile who we know has a firearm and how to keep them off the street or how to get them safe and keep everyone safe from them.”
Lujan Grisham, who is running for re-election, issued a statement Friday about the shooting death, calling gun violence a scourge on society, particularly among young people.
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina also acknowledged the city’s ongoing battle with violent crime, saying it will take a concerted effort across the criminal justice system and through prevention efforts to turn the tide.
In 2021, Albuquerque shattered its homicide record, reaching a total of 117 within city limits. The previous record was set in 2019, when there were 81 homicides, with one of those being investigated by federal authorities. The total dipped to 77 in 2020, during the height of the pandemic.
School officials announced Friday that West Mesa High School would not hold classes Monday, but said that staff members and counselors would be available.
