ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Police say 21-year-old Cristian Bencomo shot his stepmom, Victoria, in the neck at the Albuquerque Convention Center last week during a charter school graduation ceremony.

On Tuesday, Bencomo was in front of Judge Emeterio Rudolfo. Prosecutors wanted him held in jail until trial, arguing that there were no conditions that could be set to keep the public safe if he was released.

“This is obviously a very dangerous, violent event, not only for the victim but also for all of the bystanders,” said Casey McKim, state prosecutor. “This is not your normal domestic violence event which happens within the privacy of one’s own home. This happened at a very public, very crowded forum.”

However, the defense argued that Bencomo’s mental health needs to be taken into account.

“Basically passed on to me that person’s concerns about Mr. Bencomo’s mental health, some mental health issues that are at play,” said Tess Williams, Bencomo’s defense attorney. “And that those mental health issues have been an issue for his entire life.”

The judge called the shooting a seemingly random act of violence and ruled Bencomo could be released on strict conditions. He was ordered to wear a GPS monitor. The judge also ordered Bencomo to stay away from the victim, her home, and her workplace.

Bencomo’s family declined to comment after the ruling.