ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Just two weeks into the school year, Albuquerque Public Schools officials say five guns were found on or near three campuses Wednesday. While no injuries were reported, the incidents triggered lockdowns, arrests, and growing concern among students and families.
Two guns were recovered at West Mesa High School and two more at Albuquerque High School. At Del Norte High School, police detained two students near campus and reportedly found a gun on them.
At West Mesa, one student allegedly had a gun in his backpack, while another reportedly carried one in his waistband. Both students are now in juvenile detention and facing charges. The school was placed under a shelter-in-place order, though many students said they weren’t informed of the reason.
“I thought we were gonna get killed. I thought it was a school shooting,” said Estrella Portillo, a West Mesa student. Another student, Luis Rivero, described seeing classmates running and a suspect in handcuffs. “It was a pretty scary moment.”
Video taken by a student shows a chaotic scene inside a classroom as school security confronted one of the suspects. Shayla Sanchez, who was in the room, said, “I was scared, and I just wanted to get out of the class as soon as I could.”
Students expressed fear and frustration, with some saying they weren’t surprised. “Gun violence and violence every day, actually. I feel like the teachers need to do more about it,” Portillo added.
At Albuquerque High, administrators found two guns in students’ backpacks after receiving tips. Both students were arrested. At Del Norte, police were searching for a student involved in previous incidents and detained her and her boyfriend off campus. Officers say they found a gun on the couple.
At Wednesday night’s APS School Board meeting, President Danielle Gonzales called the incidents “deeply concerning” but said the district’s safety systems worked as intended. Deputy Superintendent Antonio Gonzales said a teacher used a Centegix alert badge to report a gun in a bathroom, triggering a shelter-in-place protocol.
A school resource officer reportedly had his gun drawn during one of the responses, and the district says that action is under review. Officials are also considering installing weapons detectors at schools.
