‘Out of control:' Community leaders speak about juvenile crime

Yahoo

27-02-2025

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – 'Out of control.' That's what Bernalillo County is calling kids with guns after four students were charged with bringing firearms to campus in just over a week.
'Kids and guns right now in Bernalillo County is absolutely out of control,' said Sam Bregman, Bernalillo County District Attorney.
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It comes after four students were charged with bringing guns to campus in just over a week, including at West Mesa, Del Norte, and Valley High Schools. Another was brought to Cleveland Middle School. It brings the total to nine guns found on Albuquerque Public Schools campuses so far this school year, the DA called it a parent's worst nightmare.
'The idea that your kid's going to what's supposed to be a safe place to learn and there's another kid out there with a gun on campus,' said Bregman.
He's renewing his call to the legislature to approve his proposed changes to the Children's Code, which he said hasn't been updated since the 90s. 'It is just really time that we have our laws catch up to what the reality is,' he said. 'It's not working so please legislature do something.'
Meanwhile, city and school leaders hosted a webinar to better inform parents on what to look out for. Albuquerque Police Department Commander Kyle Hartsock warned parents about the encrypted app Telegram. He said more than 90% of illegal gun deals, including among youth, take place. 'If your kid has this app go ahead and delete it. Wipe it off their phone and tell them I don't want to see that app again,' said Hartsock, Commander of APD's Criminal Investigation Division.
The webinar's panel, which included an Albuquerque teen, encouraged parents to have open lines of communication with their children, be aware they may have second profiles on social media, and to tell kids to not engage with anyone they don't know online.
They also encouraged parents to call the school if they see something. 'If you know somebody in our school is bringing a gun to school, we can act fast to keep all our students safe. Because at the end of the day, our job is to educate them and when they step foot on our campus we want them to feel safe and we want you to trust us that we're doing everything we can to keep your student safe,' said Jessica Malherbe, Dean of Students at Atrisco Heritage High School.
'We are deeply troubled by the guns that have made it onto our campus in recent days. This is outrageous and should not be happening,' said APS Superintendent Gabriella Blakey. 'We have been working with the DA and our other law enforcement partners to make it clear to students that there will be severe consequences for anyone caught with a gun on campus.'
'But we can't do it alone,' Dr. Blakey added. 'Parents, I beg you to talk to your child about the potential life-changing repercussions of bringing a gun to school should someone be hurt or killed. Stress to them that bringing a gun to school will result in an automatic one-year expulsion and prosecution. And, please, know what's in their backpacks and cars.'
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