Albuquerque authorities shockingly arrested an 11-year-old boy for an alleged violent crime spree that included multiple burglaries and shootings over a period of a month.
11-year-old boy terrorizes Albuquerque neighborhood
Police Chief Harold Medina expressed his dismay on social media, calling it “disappointing to see an 11-year-old arrested” for offenses ranging “from burglary to shooting a firearm.”
“But this armed individual’s behavior was escalating and he was a danger to the community,” Medina noted.
The timeline of the boy’s alleged crimes shows a clear escalation of violent behavior over a month-long period, and begs the question: Does this kid have any parental supervision?
On May 5, a vehicle was allegedly stolen in the northeast area of the city by the young suspect and found an hour later.
On May 12, a woman reported that four children, known as a group of troublemakers named the “Kia Boys,” were “throwing rocks at the residence and trying to break the windows of the home,” resulting in her being hit in the leg, according to police.
Later that day, a 12-year-old reported the same group of boys throwing rocks at her house.
In another incident connected to the budding juvenile delinquent, police responded to a commercial burglary where the kid suspect was seen driving a stolen car in reverse and crashing into the business’s front security door, resulting in theft and damages of more than $15,000.
A man called 911 on May 12, claiming he had been shot at by four boys in a blue Kia after he told them to leave when they were outside his home. A 9 mm casing was found at the scene.
By June 1, police responded to a shooting incident where a man was shot through the hand by a 9 mm handgun that was later found at the location.
11-year-old boy taken into police custody
The young suspect was apprehended late Thursday, as per a police statement issued the next day.
“Through information from several witnesses, victim statements and surveillance video, detectives were able to identify the juvenile and secure an arrest warrant,” police stated.
Medina noted that he was “grateful that we took this young suspect into custody without our officers having to use force.”
“Despite his age, this suspect is considered very dangerous because of his use of a firearm and his escalating violence.”
Charges against the boy 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, nonresidential burglary, criminal damage to property over $1,000, and conspiracy to commit a fourth-degree felony.
Florida teen charged with grandmother’s murder
Elsewhere, a teenager in Florida was charged with second-degree murder, after being accused of fatally beating her grandmother.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office took 14-year-old Sofia Koval into custody over the death of her 79-year-old grandmother.
Police were called to the scene after receiving a report of an unresponsive woman on May 27.
“On scene, emergency crews met with the victim’s son, who stated he went to visit a friend and left his mother, Yevheniia Koval, at the residence with his 14-year-old daughter,” the press release stated.
“When he returned home, he found his mother unresponsive on the floor with multiple bruises on her body.”
The elderly woman was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy confirmed her death as a homicide.
“It was determined that the teenager physically struck the victim multiple times. Due to the minor striking the grandmother, she was killed,” the arrest report said.
Sofia was hospitalized for medical evaluation the day of her grandmother’s death. She was taken into police custody the following day and charged with second-degree murder.
A family friend, identified as Ms. Johnson, told Local 10 News this behavior was “something out of character” for Sofia.
“She’s been going through a lot because she wants her mom, who is in the UK. She can’t get over here,” Johnson explained.
According to the father, the girl recently relocated to the United States from Ukraine and was displaying behavior issues that he thinks are related to “the war she witnessed” in her country of origin and being away from her mother.
On Wednesday, Sofia appeared in court with her father. Reports indicated that she prayed while awaiting her case to be called.
The judge ordered her to remain detained, rather than making the girl eligible for bail. Her next court appearance will be on June 12.
