'Credible threat' at APS school fading

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - In the wake of the school shooting in Connecticut, KRQE News 13 learned two students questioned in an alleged plot to shoot up their Albuquerque school may be off the hook.

The supposed plot, reported by another student in September , named a date and a plan for a bloody siege at a middle school ending in suicide.

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On Friday APS officials and police tried to reassure parents that they're doing everything possible to prevent a mass shooting in Albuquerque.  That includes patrols, training and lockdown policies.

However, even School Resource Officer James Vautier made it clear Friday that despite all of their training, if someone wants to shoot up a school the best way to stop it is before it happens.

“When we do our active-shooter training we're quick to emphasize stopping the threat before the threat becomes active is key,” Vautier said.

That's what officers and school officials said they did in September when two sixth graders were questioned at Tony Hillerman Middle School.  However, it's been three months now and very little punishment has been leveled at those students.

In an Albuquerque Police Department report both students--identified only as Student One and Student Two--talked about a plan to shoot other students. The report states student one told officers he had said he wanted to kill himself and was going to bring a gun to school and shoot people.

An officer quoted Student Two as saying Student One told him "let’s commit suicide and do a school shooting" and that Student Two said OK.

The officer reported that the students said they "didn't really mean it" or thought it was a "joke." However, the report states both admitted to setting a date of 12/12/12. It also stated that the two students talked about the alleged plot.

The officer reported Student Two said Student One planned to save money and ask Student Two's brother to buy the gun. They also talked about Student One hiding the gun, ditching third period, and when everyone was back in the classrooms he would start shooting.  Once everyone was dead he would shoot himself.

It sure seems like a school shooting plot. But, a deputy chief with APD told News 13 that a safety assessment at the school by a psychologist, a counselor and a school resource officer determined the only concern was Student One wanting to hurt himself.

That’s despite the district's decision to suspend the students.

“The students were suspended after it was determined that there was a credible threat to student safety that needed to be investigated,” APS spokesperson Monica Armenta said.
Armenta said the parents of the students pulled them out of APS so the district's investigation stopped.

APD said since it was determined there were no threats to others, charges were not pursued. In fact, the Juvenile Probation Office was never even called, according to Bob Tafoya, spokesperson for the state Children, Youth and Families Department.

“CYFD does not have a referral that would lead to an open case,” Tafoya said.

Since the case was never sent to juvenile probation, it was never sent to the District Attorney's Office to review for possible prosecution.