ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A teenager has been arrested in connection to the June 23 shooting of an Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) custodian, Paul Tafoya. 17-year-old Daniel F. Trujillo is now in custody for attempted murder and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon, according to an APS representative.
On Friday morning, June 23, Tafoya arrived on the campus of Kennedy Middle School and noticed trespassers. When he asked them to leave, the trespassers got aggressive; one of them pulled out a gun and shot at Tafoya. According to the APS representative, bullet fragments are still in Tafoya’s neck and back, and he is still recovering from the injuries.
“We remain grateful that Mr. Tafoya is still with us and on the mend. Our APS Police detectives who worked this case deserve our gratitude and praise, but the assault is still unnerving. As a community, we must find a way to keep our kids away from violence and protect everyone from violence. We can’t let this continue.”
Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Scott Elder
According to a warrant, Trujillo was arrested by the Albuquerque Police Department, just a week after the shooting, for an armed robbery near Glenrio Road in northwest Albuquerque. The gun used in that crime was confirmed to be the same one that was used on Tafoya through ballistics testing.
APD obtained a warrant for Trujillo’s phone on July 17 and found multiple prior phone locations confirming Trujillo’s place at Kennedy Middle School at the time of the shooting. ShotSpotter technology and video surveillance also confirmed Trujillo’s involvement in the shooting.
