CRIME
Teen accused of threatening shooting at Santa Rosa school
Police: Boy admitted planning to livestream shooting
A 14-year-old boy is accused of planning a school shooting in Santa Rosa.
New Mexico State Police did not identify the teen, but said he is being charged with making a shooting threat and interference with public officials or the general public.
It is unclear what day the boy was arrested.
An attempt was made to contact Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools for comment, but it was unsuccessful.
New Mexico State Police said in a social media post on Saturday, they received information on July 30. of an alleged threat to commit violence at Santa Rosa Middle School.
鈥淒ue to the seriousness of the threat and the approaching first day of school, NMSP immediately began working with local and federal law enforcement partners to identify the individual responsible and determine the credibility of the threat,鈥 the post states.
During the investigation, police said, officers identified firearms in pictures provided to them by the FBI of those belonging to the boy鈥檚 stepfather. While looking at one of the pictures, the man told police 鈥渉e believed the hand holding the firearm may be his stepson鈥檚,鈥 according to the social media post.
Inside the man鈥檚 house, police said they found a handgun, 鈥渨hich was identified as the same firearm depicted in one of the photographs associated with the threat.鈥 A second firearm, a rifle, was later found at another house, the post states.
Police said the boy told them he used the app Discord to communicate with another person about a plan to carry out and livestream a shooting on the first day of classes on Aug. 10. The boy then admitted to taking photos of firearms and obtaining Google Maps images of the school, according to New Mexico State Police.
鈥淭he safety of New Mexico's children is of the utmost importance to the New Mexico State Police,鈥 police said. 鈥淭hreats of violence against our schools, students, and educators will be taken seriously and investigated aggressively. NMSP will continue working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to identify those responsible for these threats and hold them accountable through the appropriate legal process.鈥
Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.