ALBUQUERQUE, NM – An 11-year-old boy has been apprehended by Albuquerque police after a month-long crime spree that left residents in fear. The juvenile is accused of committing a series of burglaries, auto thefts, and shootings, escalating concerns about youth violence in the community.
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina expressed his dismay at the arrest of such a young individual for serious offenses, including firing a weapon. “This armed individual’s behavior was escalating, and he was a danger to the community,” Medina stated. “We need to address the toxic mix of guns and social media. Kids need consequences.”
The boy, whose identity remains undisclosed due to his age, faces a litany of charges. These include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, shooting into an occupied dwelling, aggravated battery, unlawful possession of a weapon by a minor, non-residential burglary, criminal damage to property over $1,000, and conspiracy to commit a fourth-degree felony.
The crime spree began on May 5 with the theft of a Kia Forte in northeast Albuquerque. A week later, a woman reported that four juveniles were throwing rocks at her home, one of which struck her leg. On the same day, a 12-year-old called the police to report that a group of boys, known as the “Kia Boyz,” were attempting to break into her house.
The “Kia Boyz,” a group of local teens, have been linked to various criminal activities. On May 17, police responded to a commercial burglary where a stolen vehicle had crashed through the entrance of a store, causing $15,000 in damages. On May 29, a man reported being shot at by four juveniles in a blue Kia after he asked them to leave the front of his home.
Last week, police were alerted to another incident where a man had been shot in the hand on General Chennault St. A handgun was later recovered at the scene, further implicating the young suspect.