Crime
UNM Campus Shooting Victim Identified as 14-Year-Old Michael Lamotte
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau is actively investigating a fatal shooting that occurred early Friday, July 25, 2025, at Mesa Vista Hall on the University of New Mexico (UNM) campus.
According to a statement from New Mexico State Police (NMSP), the investigation was initiated at the request of the University of New Mexico Police Department (UNMPD) following reports of gunfire inside the dormitory complex.
At approximately 1:36 a.m., UNM police officers responded to an alarm activation at Mesa Vista Hall.
Upon arrival, officers discovered broken windows and what appeared to be blood near the scene.
Shortly afterward, UNMPD received a phone call from a concerned woman who stated that her family member, who was on campus, had reported hearing gunshots.
Shortly thereafter, officers were notified by the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) that a 19-year-old male had arrived at the emergency department with a gunshot wound.
The individual reported that he had been shot on campus.
While conducting a security sweep of the surrounding buildings, UNMPD officers entered one of the dorm rooms in the Casas del Rio complex and discovered the body of a 14-year-old male, later identified as Michael Lamotte.
He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Out of an abundance of caution and to preserve critical evidence, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the campus. NMSP investigators responded and assumed control of the case.
According to the preliminary investigation and details in the criminal complaint, four individuals had gathered in the dorm room to play video games.
At some point, for reasons still under investigation, one of the individuals, later identified as 18-year-old John Fuentes, allegedly produced a firearm and began shooting at the others.
Michael Lamotte was fatally shot during the incident.
Another teenager sustained a gunshot wound to the head but survived.
Following the shooting, all surviving individuals, including Fuentes, fled the room.
By approximately 2:30 p.m. the same day, Fuentes was located and apprehended by NMSP in Valencia County, New Mexico.
He was taken into custody without incident at a smoke shop off NM 314 in Los Lunas. An older woman who was in the vehicle with Fuentes at the time was detained but later released.
Fuentes was transported to and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on the following charges:
- First-degree murder
- Aggravated battery
- Aggravated assault
- Tampering with evidence
New Mexico State Police have indicated that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional charges may be forthcoming for individuals who may have assisted Fuentes after the shooting.
Authorities urge anyone with relevant information to come forward as investigators continue to gather evidence in this tragic and deeply disturbing incident.
Crime
Victims Identified in Deadly Robeson County Mass Shooting
Two Dead, 13 Injured in Mass Shooting at Large Party in Robeson County, North Carolina
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. — A late-night party in eastern North Carolina turned deadly early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted, leaving two people dead and 13 others injured, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins confirmed that deputies were called to the scene on Dixon Drive, just outside the town of Maxton, at approximately 3:00 a.m. following reports of a shooting at a large outdoor gathering attended by more than 150 people.
When deputies arrived, chaos had already unfolded — witnesses said over 150 individuals fled the area before law enforcement could secure the scene.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as Jessie Locklear and his son Nehemiah Locklear.
Several other victims sustained critical injuries and were transported to area hospitals for emergency treatment.
Sheriff Wilkins stated that, based on preliminary findings, the shooting appears to have been an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies, continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the violence.
Detectives are working to determine the motive and identify all parties involved.
Authorities are urging anyone with information—or anyone who attended the gathering and witnessed the incident—to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Investigators at 910-671-3100.
“We know there were many people present when this occurred,” Sheriff Wilkins said. “If you saw something or know something, we need you to come forward to help bring justice to the victims and their families.”