ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the shooting death of 13-year-old Bennie Hargrove at Washington Middle School. Hargrove was shot and killed during lunch one year ago.
Police say Juan Saucedo Jr. is the teen classmate responsible for pulling the trigger after Hargrove confronted Saucedo Jr. for bullying other students.
On Saturday, Hargrove’s family, along with city and state leadership, gathered at Washington Middle School Park to celebrate Hargrove’s life and speak out against gun violence. “This last year has been a nightmare for my family and me as we had to live through this overwhelming loss due to gun violence,” said Collete Wise, Bennie’s mother.
Today, Representative Pamela Herndon announced they will be trying to pass the Bennie Hargrove Gun Safety Act again in next year’s legislative session. The legislation – which will require parents and adults to lock up or secure guns and other dangerous weapons – was introduced in the last session, but it failed to pass.
