On July 25, 2025, a tragic shooting at the University of New Mexico (UNM) campus in Albuquerque left a 14-year-old boy dead and a 19-year-old male injured. The New Mexico State Police (NMSP) Investigations Bureau is leading the probe into the incident, which occurred in the early morning hours at the Casas del Rio dormitory complex, specifically in the Gila Dormitory, during new student orientation week.
The sequence of events began around 1:36 a.m. when University of New Mexico Police Department (UNMPD) officers responded to an alarm at Mesa Vista Hall, where they discovered broken windows and suspected blood. Concurrently, UNMPD received a call from a woman reporting that a family member on campus had heard gunshots. Around 2:36 a.m., the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) notified authorities that a 19-year-old male had arrived with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, stating he had been shot on campus. During a subsequent security sweep of nearby buildings, UNMPD officers found the body of 14-year-old Michael Lamotte inside a dorm room at Casas del Rio, where he was pronounced deceased.
According to court documents and statements from NMSP, four individuals, including a UNM freshman, were in the dorm room playing video games when the incident occurred. For reasons still under investigation, 18-year-old John Fuentes allegedly produced a stolen Glock 9mm handgun and began shooting at the other occupants. Michael Lamotte was fatally shot in the head, while the 19-year-old sustained a head wound but survived. A fourth individual in the room reported that Fuentes appeared to be under the influence of drugs at the time. After the shooting, Fuentes and the surviving occupants fled the scene, with the injured 19-year-old and the fourth person escaping through a dorm window and seeking medical attention.
Following the incident, Fuentes fled to the parking lot and was later found on the first-story roof of Mesa Vista Hall, where he reportedly smashed multiple windows, injuring himself. Evidence recovered from the roof included blood stains, the stolen handgun, keys, and a pair of blue jeans. Video evidence and blood trails indicated that Fuentes moved across campus and was picked up by two individuals in a pickup truck around 1:40 a.m. Using license plate readers, NMSP tracked Fuentes to Valencia County, where he was apprehended without incident at a smoke shop on NM 314 in Los Lunas around 2:30 p.m. on July 25. An older woman in the vehicle with Fuentes was detained but released.
Fuentes has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and tampering with evidence. He is currently held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County. NMSP has indicated that additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues, particularly for individuals who may have assisted Fuentes post-incident.
The shooting prompted a shelter-in-place order across UNM’s main campus, which was lifted late Friday afternoon, though the campus remained closed for the day. Authorities conducted a staged, tactical evacuation of approximately 400 students staying in dorms for orientation, ensuring their safety. The area around Casas del Rio was cordoned off with yellow tape as investigators gathered evidence throughout the day.
UNM President Garnett S. Stokes expressed deep sorrow over the incident, noting its impact on new students and their families. “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of life and horrified by this act of violence in our campus community,” Stokes said in a statement. The university has committed to providing mental health support through UNM Student Health & Counseling Services and other resources, with increased law enforcement presence planned for the coming days. Authorities have stated that the shooting appears to be an isolated incident with no ongoing threat to the campus.
Anyone with information is urged to contact UNMPD at 505-277-2241 or Crime Stoppers anonymously. The investigation remains active as NMSP continues to uncover the circumstances leading to this devastating event.