Recent violence involving teens leaves Rio Rancho on edge

The football game between Cleveland and Rio Rancho high schools on Friday night was already scheduled to have a greater police presence.

The stadium went on lockdown at the end of the game, as Rio Rancho Police confirmed it was because officers were looking into more possible threats. That was on the heels of two other big scares — and one tragic loss.

“I sort of, I blame it a lot on the parents,” said a Rio Rancho woman who asked not to be named.

This woman takes her grandkids to the park instead of letting them play in the front yard.
She said it doesn’t feel safe anymore.

After a string of threats and violence in Rio Rancho, she said change has to start at home.

“You know, the cops could (only) do so much,” she said. “You know, courts could do so much. But at the end of the day, it comes from the home within. What’s going on at home.”

Earlier this week, police found 15-year-old Adrian Maestas shot near the intersection of Inca and 2nd Street in southeast Rio Rancho.

His family said he was on life support but died days later.

“You know the family, you know that they have to go through this 15 year old’s (death),” she said. “God, he still had a life to live.”

Our KOB 4 cameras captured this SWAT situation at a house near that scene Friday, but police have not confirmed if it’s connected. Officers haven’t made arrests, keeping the community on edge.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Rio Rancho resident Wes Edlang. “I can’t really believe that’s even going on around here, and I haven’t heard about it, but until you just told me, it’s really shocking to hear.”

The shooting happened a week after a Rio Rancho house party was broken up by gunfire. Police are still looking for whoever fired the shots that night.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Raul Torrez announced a proposal for stiffer penalties for making school shooting threats.

“Unfortunately, in the state of New Mexico, we currently treat threats against our schools as misdemeanors, and I don’t think that is in alignment with where we are as a community,” he said.

He wants to make this crime a felony. And local leaders agreed.

“It causes chaos in the community,” said Rio Rancho Police Chief Stewart Steele. “It causes chaos within the schools, and, quite frankly, chaos for our educators.”

That type of chaos was on full display Friday night.

In a statement, a Rio Rancho school district spokesperson said a football player got Snapchat messages, including a picture of a gun and the Cleveland High School field. But there was no direct threat.

Police held players until the parking lot was clear and released athletes 10 at a time.

Just one more potential instance of violence that this community has to process. Police are still asking for any information on all three of these incidents. If you know anything call Rio Rancho Police.