ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A shooting early Friday at the University of New Mexico’s dormitory complex left one person dead and another injured. The incident triggered a campus-wide search for a suspect and a shelter-in-place order that remained in effect midday.
Campus Locked Down After Fatal Dorm Shooting
One dead, one injured in early morning violence at UNM housing.
Campus police responded to the Casas del Rio housing center just before 3:30 a.m. They discovered two individuals with gunshot wounds. One was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The university issued an alert about the shooting, followed by another social media notification around 6 a.m. instructing people to shelter in place. Multiple law enforcement agencies were on site, actively investigating the situation.
Student Describes Chaotic Scene
Mikey Beck, a student attending new student orientation, recounted hearing gunshots overnight. He also reported seeing an injured person seeking refuge in bushes. Beck observed two other individuals escaping by jumping from a dorm window.
Beck expressed his apprehension about the event, stating, “It’s really sketchy out here. Just being in Albuquerque is really scary.”
Tactical Evacuation Underway
The campus was closed, with yellow tape cordoning off the student housing area as authorities conducted their sweep. Buses were lined up near the dorms, ready to transport students who were being evacuated. University spokesperson Cinnamon Blair confirmed a “staged, tactical evacuation” was in progress, advising individuals on campus to await direction from campus police before moving.
Details regarding the victims and any suspect description have not been released. The Casas del Rio complex comprises four buildings and offers over 1,000 beds in furnished suite apartments.
The university, located in central Albuquerque, serves approximately 23,000 students. New students like Beck are participating in orientation sessions ahead of the fall semester, which is set to begin in about three weeks.
What is the Casas del Rio complex? It’s a four-building dormitory complex at the University of New Mexico with over 1,000 beds.
Broader Concerns About Violent Crime
New Mexico’s largest city has faced challenges with violent crime, particularly involving juveniles. District Attorney Sam Bregman has urged state lawmakers to take further action to address what he terms a crisis.
This call for legislative action follows a period of increased violence in New Mexico attributed to young suspects. These incidents include a fatal hit-and-run in Albuquerque and a March shooting in Las Cruces that resulted in three fatalities and 15 injuries.
Prosecutors, law enforcement, and Republican lawmakers have advocated for Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to convene a special legislative session to tackle the state’s crime issues. Despite expressing frustration with the Democratic-controlled Legislature previously, the governor has not indicated plans for a special session.
- A shooting at the University of New Mexico’s dormitory complex on Friday resulted in one fatality and one injury.
- The campus was placed on lockdown with a shelter-in-place order for midday.
- Students are being evacuated from the Casas del Rio housing center.
- The incident occurs amid broader concerns about violent crime in Albuquerque, especially involving juveniles.
