DA Sam Bregman promises action on guns at school

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Guns at schools is unfortunately a citywide problem in Albuquerque.

KOB’s 4 Investigates team created a map showing all the gun-related incidents at Albuquerque schools starting in 2020.

There are three incidents we know about this school year. All of which happened just this month, with the latest happening just a few days ago.

A spokesperson with the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office says a 16 and a 17 year old both – independently — brought guns to the Ace Leadership High School on Friday.

Prosecutors say both teens brought the loaded guns in their backpacks, and one of them had 31 bullets in the magazine.

It’s not clear what the teens were planning to do with those guns, but they were both arrested and faced a judge Tuesday afternoon. The district attorney’s office fought to keep both suspects locked up.

“This is a loaded handgun in multiple magazines on a school campus, one of the most dangerous acts that we’re seeing in our community on a regular basis here,” said Shannon Swett with the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office. 

A judge agreed, ordering the 16 and 17 year old to stay in custody before their respective trials.

It’s a decision Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman says he’s fighting for anytime someone brings a gun to school.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy, and we’re going to stick to that,” said Bregman. 

Bregman is making a promise to anyone who brings a gun on school grounds.

“I don’t care if you’re 12 years old or 50 years old, we are going to get an arrest warrant. We’re going to arrest you. We’re going to take you down. We’re going to book you into the detention center if you’re a juvenile. Then, we’re going to ask a judge to hold you until trial. Because I cannot imagine anything more scary, more horrific, than a parent getting a phone call saying there’s an active shooter at a school,” Bregman said. 

It’s a phone call many Albuquerque parents could’ve received last week after APS staff say they confiscated two guns from a 17 year old at Volcano Vista High School. Two more teens were reportedly caught with loaded guns at the Ace Leadership High School just three days later.

“Three kids with five firearms found in the last week, and that is unacceptable,” said Bregman. 

It’s unfortunately something his office deals with quite regularly.

“This calendar year, we have charged 107 juveniles with gun crimes,” said Bregman.

Bregman says his office does not offer teen suspects any type of plea deal unless they reveal where they obtained their guns.

He says it works about a third of the time, and there’s a troubling pattern.

“A third of them have been getting them off the app of Telegram,” Bregman said. “We know of 10 already that got their guns through Telegram by meeting up with someone, and a few hours later, they’re buying a gun from that person.”

He’s urging all parents to be suspicious if their kids use Telegram, but he says there are other steps parents should take before searching those phones.

“Parents, if you don’t know what’s in your kid’s backpack, check it. If you don’t know what’s in the car that they drive to school, check the damn car. Make sure you understand how significant this is. You don’t want somebody else’s kid on campus with a gun. We all have to do our fair share in this to fight this,” said Bregman.

Bregman believes parents have a huge role to play here, but he also believes there needs to be more education programs that will remind teens of the consequences.

He still believes state lawmakers need to update the Children’s Code, and develop more specific consequences for this type of incident.