Albuquerque Public Schools
DA: Parents Must Step up in Fight Against Gun Violence
District attorney advises parents to check cars, backpacks and phones, and encourages 'see something, say something' reporting.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman has spoken to thousands of Albuquerque Public Schools middle and high school students in recent years about the consequences of being caught with a gun in school. During a town hall at West Mesa High School on Wednesday evening, he took his message to families, urging them to be vigilant and do their part to ensure their kids aren’t making a mistake that could cost them their futures.
Bregman said juveniles with guns is a serious problem in Albuquerque, and that combination is a recipe for tragedy. Since he became district attorney in January 2023, 60 juveniles have been charged with murder, he said, emphasizing the scope of the problem.
And while many assume that these kids with guns come from unstable homes and are the kids always in trouble, Bregman said the reality is that they run the gamut. Some do come from unstable homes, but others come from model families, are honor students and even star athletes.
He said many kids want guns because they think it makes them look cool and because they get likes when they post a photo of themselves with a firearm on social media.
“When I talk to the community, I often get asked what is it that parents can do to help all of us to make sure that we reduce the possibility of a tragedy on a school campus,” Bregman told the more than 50 attendees. “There are some really basic things for parents to keep in mind.”
First, he said, parents need to know what’s in the car their kids are driving or riding to school in.
“Know that there’s not a gun in that car,” he said, recommending that they check it regularly. “Many guns have been found in cars on school campuses.”
He also asked parents to check their kids’ backpacks, another place where guns are often found. And he said they should check phones, particularly to see if they have the Telegram messaging app installed.
“Know what’s on your kid’s phone,” Bregman said, adding that if their kid has the Telegram app, that should be a huge red flag.
“Telegram is an app that is a cesspool for criminal activity–child pornography, drug trafficking and gun trafficking,” he said. Bregman said many of the kids they catch with guns tell them they went on the Telegram app, sent a message asking to buy a gun, and quickly connected with a seller.
“We know of kids that within two hours of going on the app were on a street corner buying a gun from a complete stranger,” Bregman said. “This is not the same world that I grew up in. This is a different world. So I feel the need to make sure we all know what’s going on.”
He acknowledged parents’ desire to give their kids privacy, but he said this issue is too big to simply trust that your child would never do that.
Bregman said one of the things that’s working at schools is the see something, say something message, which is how many of the guns at schools have been found. He encouraged parents to continue to drill that message into their kids and to let them know that if they are concerned about coming forward, they can always report a dangerous situation anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
Tips to Crime Stoppers can be reported by phone to 505-843-STOP, online at p3tips.com/531, through a text, (text “ABQCS” to 738477) or on https://www.crimestoppersnm.com
West Mesa Principal Michele Torres told attendees that APS is continuing to explore additional options for enhancing its security systems. The district has had several metal detector demonstrations and is also exploring artificial intelligence software that utilizes cameras to detect weapons.