A West Mesa High School student was shot to death last week near the campus, prompting the school to be placed on lockdown.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) offered her condolences to the student and the immediate community.
“My thoughts are with the students, families, and staff of West Mesa High School and the greater Albuquerque community, and my prayers are with the loved ones of all those affected by this senseless act of violence,” Grisham said. “Gun violence is a scourge on our society, especially among young people; we must continue to do everything in our power to prevent these tragedies from occurring. My office is in close contact with the district and local authorities as additional details of the investigation are made available, and the state stands ready to assist the community however we can.”
According to Yahoo, a fight was the catalyst for the shooting, but an investigation is still being conducted as to why the fight occurred. State officials are calling for harsher laws that would stop teenagers from getting their hands on guns.
The murder is on par with the state’s surging homicide rates and violence rates of the past year, Yahoo said.
West Mesa High School Principal Michele Torres and Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Scott Elder initially released a joint statement saying that because of the ongoing investigation, there were a lot of questions that they could not answer.
“If your child has information about the incident and wants to talk to the police, you can call 242-COPS. They also have the option of talking to a teacher, counselor, or another trusted adult at school,” the letter said. “Grief counselors will be at school next week, and there will be an increased police presence. We want everyone to feel safe and supported.”
The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) said on Twitter that 14-year-old Marcos Trejo was arrested in connection with the murder of 16-year-old Andrew Burson. The altercation occurred because Burson accused Trejo of stealing a gun from him; Trejo proceeded to fire five to six rounds at Burson, APD said.