ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Police received a 911 call just before 3 p.m. Sunday regarding a shooting at an apartment near Buena Vista Avenue and Gibson Avenue Southeast, according to an Albuquerque Police Department news release.
Upon arrival, officers found a toddler with a gunshot wound to the chest. First responders attempted life-saving measures but were unsuccessful, the news release said. “It could have been a tragic accident. We don’t know at this point. But either way, it’s a tragedy because a two-year-old has lost his life to gun violence,” said Gilbert Gallegos, communications director for the Albuquerque Police Department. Gallegos said while the mother was in the apartment, she heard a loud bang and realized her child had been shot.
According to police, the mother, her two-year-old son and her one-year-old son were in the apartment with several other people at the time. “The one-year-old is OK and has been accounted for. We’re hearing different stories. We’re trying to figure out exactly what happened. Like I said, our Crimes Against Children Unit is on scene. They’re taking charge of the investigation,” Gallegos said. “We don’t know if it was an accident or if it was a mishandled firearm, anything like that.
Detectives are trying to figure out what happened, we’re just in the dark right now.” Gallegos said they are checking with the Children, Youth and Families Unit to see if there is any history with the mother and her two children. APD detectives are on scene investigating what happened, but details are very limited.