RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – The charges have been dropped against the teen accused of firing a gun at Cleaveland High School last year.
Joshua Owen was just 16-years-old when police say he brought his parents’ gun to Cleveland High School on Valentine’s Day and fired a shot but did not hit anyone. He was later found incompetent to stand trial and a judge tried to order him into a treatment program.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, the state facility that was supposed to take him, said they do not treat minors who are there involuntarily. So with nowhere to send him and therefore no way to help him reach competency, the judge dismissed the charges last month.
Owen has been released from custody with no orders to get treatment. Owen’s parents who are facing charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor said they knew about their son’s mental health issues months before the shooting and tried to get him help.
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