New Mexico
NM attorney general responds to recent school threats
How are the child offenders behind school shooting threats punished, and held accountable?
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – How are the child offenders behind school threats punished, and held accountable in New Mexico?
KOB 4 took that question to our state’s stop prosecutor.
“Are they OK? Is everything going to be all right?” said New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
As a parent, that’s what Torrez says runs through his mind every time he hears about school threats in our state.
Then, the natural questions: What if it was your kid’s school? And what happens next?
“And then that worry and concerns turns to anger pretty quickly when people look at this, and they think, ‘Wow, you know, you can threaten to shoot up a school, and it’s only a misdemeanor,’” said Torrez.
This past week, parents across the state heard about online threats made toward their children’s’ schools. Some schools even canceled classes just to be safe.
Two incidents, one in Las Cruces and one at a high school in Albuquerque, ended with arrests.
A Volcano Vista student will remain in custody. The teen is accused of bringing two guns to school.
Police in Las Cruces arrested three children, the youngest 11 years old, for allegedly threatening local schools online.
Torrez says these incidents prove once again something needs to be done to New Mexico’s Children’s Code.
“We have to be unequivocal when it comes to guns. This will not be tolerated, taking a gun to school, threatening to take a gun to school is unacceptable. Otherwise, we are undermining everything that we are trying to do in terms of building a safer community,” said Torrez.
Torrez recommends mass threats should be classified as a fourth-degree felony instead of misdemeanors.
“The law as it’s written now only makes this kind of conduct a misdemeanor rather than a felony. I don’t think that’s where most of the community is. I think most of the community wants to have a much more severe consequence associated with making this kind of threat,” Torrez said.
He also says it should be mandated that children who commit crimes with guns get booked into youth detention centers. It’s a push he’s been making since he was Bernalillo County District Attorney, and the current DA is on the same page.
DA Sam Bregman has spoken to us several times about his concerns with the Children’s Code.
“Listen, I’m not someone who’s advocating out there throwing the book and throwing the key away on 11 year olds. But I am saying we have to have some more tools in the toolbox,” said Bregman.
Both agree the current code is inconsistent and there needs to be predictable consequences for these kinds of actions. They’ll continue voicing their concerns all the way up until the 60-day legislative session that starts in January.
“This is not about coming up with language, this is about coming up with the courage, the political will to do what’s right, and that’s what we desperately need in Santa Fe,” said Torrez.
Josh’s Saturday Night Forecast
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Calmer weather has moved back into the state this afternoon. Temperatures are slightly warmer across northwestern New Mexico, while southeastern areas are cooler thanks to the backdoor cold fronts that moved in on Friday. Breezier winds will return Sunday and will help kick off a warming trend across the state, along with an elevated fire threat in eastern New Mexico.
Warmer weather will continue building in across the state throughout the upcoming week. A few isolated rain chances will return Monday in parts of New Mexico, but some of that rain may evaporate before reaching the ground.
Good morning!
Heading out the door this morning? Bundle up! Cold air has settled into the Land of Enchantment after two cold fronts passed through New Mexico within the last 24 hours. Temperatures have fallen to the teens, 20s and 30s throughout northern New Mexico. The metro area is just as cold with Moriarty falling to the teens and several other cities bottoming out near the freezing point. The National Weather Service (NWS) has Freeze Warnings in place until 9 a.m. for several locations in northern and central New Mexico. However, one of the aforementioned cold fronts is still moving through eastern New Mexico this morning. That back door cold front has brought 30-45 mph wind gusts, or more, in southeastern New Mexico. The front will push west further west this morning bringing breezy winds to far south and southwestern New Mexico this afternoon. Otherwise, much calmer weather will be on tap for the state compared to the majority of this week.
The colder air this morning will bring cooler and seasonable weather to the Land of Enchantment later on Saturday. Afternoon highs will range from the high 50s, in sections of the northern mountains, to the 70s in southern New Mexico. Throughout the weekend into early next week a warming trend is expected as a ridge of high pressure builds on Sunday, which is forecasted to last through at least Tuesday. By next Tuesday, high temperatures will be 5 to 15 degrees above normal, and even warmer for some locations by next Wednesday with breezy conditions returning to the state.
Moisture does stream back into the state early next week across New Mexico. Tomorrow’s forecast is expected to have cloud coverage increase with warmer weather. On Monday sufficient moisture in the mid to upper levels of the atmosphere will bring the chance for showers; however, moisture levels toward the surface will be lower. That will also bring the chance for dry showers and thunderstorms throughout the state. Have a great weekend and stay warm this morning!
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A New Mexico man has taken a plea deal for his role in the death of a three-year-old girl more than two years ago. Police said that Kerri Santos brought her toddler to University of New Mexico Hospital, claiming that she fell and hurt herself. Medical staff determined the child was already dead when she arrived, and noticed signs of abuse, including evidence that she had been tied up. Police said that Santos and three others were staying at James Welch’s home when the abuse took place.
On Friday, Welch pleaded no contest to three counts of child abuse and tampering with evidence. He faces up to five years behind bars.
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