RIO RANCHO, NM (KRQE) – The parents of the teen who police say fired two shots inside a Rio Rancho high school want their charges dropped.
Dale and Tamera Owen are accused of knowing their son, Joshua Owen, had mental health issues, and failing to secure the gun inside their home.
In October, the Owens filed a motion to declare their contributing to the delinquency of a minor charges as void, claiming the statute the charges are based on is too vague in this case.
It claims they were not fully aware of their son’s intentions before police say he fired two shots inside Cleveland High School on Valentine’s Day. No one was injured.
They say they never knew their son’s intent and that medical personnel assured them and the school that Josh’s issues were addressed by medications.
In response, the District Attorney’s office said the Owens should be held accountable, claiming that Tamera Owen in court even admitted that the two were aware that Josh wanted to commit murder with a handgun; and that they had even removed a gun from their home in a previous incident when Josh first indicated that he wanted to “shoot up the school.”
In a filed response last week from the Owens’ attorneys, they claim they believed the gun was well-hidden in the bedroom closet, that they monitored Josh’s medication and took him to therapy.
The parents had him take a neuropsychological evaluation earlier this year. Court documents state that test was prepared on Feb. 13, the day before the shooting, but that the Owens didn’t get the results until after Feb. 14, which revealed that Josh was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Josh’s attorney also defended the Owens back in June, saying they had been working for months to address their son’s mental health issues.
Josh was deemed incompetent to stand trial and is currently getting treatment.
