A tragic shooting occurred early Friday morning in a dorm room at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, resulting in the death of a 14-year-old boy and injuries to another teenager, according to state police.
The suspect, identified as 18-year-old John Fuentes, was apprehended hours later during a traffic stop in Los Lunas, approximately 25 miles south of Albuquerque.
Fuentes was booked on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and tampering with evidence. He made his first court appearance via Zoom in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court on Saturday morning.
Fuentes has been ordered to remain in custody without bond while his case awaits transfer to the New Mexico District Court, with a scheduled court appearance set for next week.
According to court documents, Fuentes allegedly drove to the UNM campus around 8 PM local time on Thursday in a vehicle registered to his father.
He met with three other individuals, one of whom was a freshman at the university, and they entered the Gila Dorm where they were playing video games in a dorm room.
At some point during their time together, for reasons still under investigation, Fuentes began firing a firearm at the other occupants in the room.
The 14-year-old victim sustained a fatal gunshot wound, while the other occupants, including Fuentes, fled from the scene.
The second injured party, a 19-year-old, reportedly suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, according to university officials.
An eyewitness claimed that Fuentes appeared to be under the influence of drugs when he shot the 14-year-old in the head and also threatened the other individuals present, shooting one of them as well.
The two victims managed to escape through a dorm window to seek help.
Fuentes then fled to the first-story roof of the Mesa Vista building, where he allegedly vandalized the property by breaking multiple windows, resulting in self-inflicted injuries.
University of New Mexico Police received an alarm call at around 1:30 AM on Friday morning. Upon their arrival, they discovered broken windows and traces of blood.
As additional calls came in regarding gunfire, police learned that a 19-year-old man had arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound, claiming he had been shot on campus.
During a search of the area, officers located the 14-year-old victim deceased at the scene.
Authorities revealed that Fuentes left behind blood stains, a stolen Glock 9mm handgun, keys, and a pair of jeans on the roof where he had escaped.
He also left a trail of blood as he fled across campus before being picked up by two individuals in a pickup truck around 1:40 AM Friday morning.
Law enforcement officials arrested Fuentes on Highway 314 in Los Lunas around 2:30 PM local time Friday.
Initially, the university issued a shelter-in-place order that remained in effect for much of the day.
By Friday afternoon, the university confirmed that while an active crime scene was still in place at the central part of the campus, the shelter-in-place order had been lifted and the central campus was closed.
New Mexico State Representative Marianna Anaya expressed her condolences and concerns regarding the incident, highlighting that it occurred during a new student orientation week when excitement should fill the atmosphere.
In her statement, she said, ‘Waking this morning to the news of this act of violence has shaken the entire UNM community. It is especially heartbreaking that this occurred during the time of a new student orientation — a time when students and their families should be filled with hope, excitement, and a sense of possibility.’
She emphasized that this heartbreaking event underscores the urgent need to address gun violence and historical trauma within the state.
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