Albuquerque, New Mexico: Boy, 10, Fatally Shoots Teen, 17, During Neighbor Dispute Over Loud Music

A neighbor dispute over loud music turned deadly on Halloween in southeast Albuquerque, where police say a 10-year-old boy retrieved a firearm from inside his home and fatally shot a 17-year-old girl who was trying to break up a fight. Minutes later, an Albuquerque officer fired at the boy's mother after she came out of her apartment holding a handgun. The officer's shot hit no one, and the woman surrendered.

The shootings happened on Saturday, October 31, near Tennessee Street Northeast, between Copper Avenue and Chico Road, Albuquerque police said. KRQE reported that the incident started as a verbal dispute over loud music between neighbors.

What police say happened

Police Chief Cecily Barker briefed reporters at the scene on Saturday night. According to the chief, the 17-year-old girl was attempting to break up an altercation involving the boy's mother and several other people. Barker said the 10-year-old boy at first tried to get his mother to return inside the home. He later went inside, retrieved a firearm, and fatally shot the teenager, according to police.

Police have not released the names of the girl, the boy, or his mother. The girl's age, 17, and the boy's age, 10, were released by police and carried by local stations KRQE and KOAT.

An officer fires as the mother comes out armed

Officers responding to the teenager's killing were alerted to reports of gunfire coming from the same location, police said. As officers arrived, they heard a gunshot inside the mother's apartment and took cover as several people came out. The mother was armed with a handgun when she left the apartment, and one officer fired his weapon, according to police. The officer's gunshot did not strike anyone, no injuries were reported from that shooting, and the mother dropped the handgun and surrendered to police, the department said. No officers were injured.

Detectives have not yet determined whether the mother was armed with the same firearm her son used or a separate weapon, police said.

Charges are still undecided

Police say the mother is expected to face charges, but the Second Judicial District Attorney's Office has not yet determined what charges will be filed against the mother or her 10-year-old son, citing the complexity of the incident.

The case also raises a possible charge under New Mexico's Bennie Hargrove Gun Safety Act, known as Bennie's Law. The 2023 law holds adults criminally accountable for negligently allowing minors access to firearms. If investigators determine the gun was improperly stored and the child accessed it, resulting in the teenager's death, the mother could face a fourth-degree felony, and the District Attorney's Office will decide whether charges under the law are warranted.

Albuquerque homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of the 17-year-old girl, while the Multi-Agency Task Force is investigating the officer-involved shooting, police said. Both investigations remain ongoing.