Belen student charged in BB gun incident

BELEN — A Belen High School student is facing “serious disciplinary action” as well as two fourth-degree felonies after allegedly brandishing a BB gun at a resident earlier this month.

Belen Police Department Interim Chief Adam Keck said a pick-up truck with a 16-year-old student pulled up in front of a house on Castillo Avenue in Belen some time before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

Keck said it’s unclear whether the teenager was the driver or the passenger in the vehicle. He didn’t initially point the BB gun at the victim, who was outside working on a vehicle, “but after a second, as he (the victim) was walking away, he (the student) did brandish it. It had a laser on it.”

The victim, an adult male, told police he didn’t know if the gun was real or not, so when “the kid left, he went to the school, so the victim went to the school,” Keck said.

The school resource officer on campus was alerted, and with the assistance of BHS Principal Rhett Burt, identified the student and vehicle. The two searched the vehicle and located the BB gun.

Keck said the student has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful carrying a weapon on school grounds, both fourth-degree felonies.

Belen Consolidated School Superintendent Lawrence Sanchez said the teen is facing “serious disciplinary action, including long-term suspension” in connection with the incident.

Sanchez said the boy isn’t on the BHS campus at this time and isn’t allowed to be on any district property during the district’s disciplinary process.

“If the decision is to take this to a long-term (suspension) hearing, a third-party hearing officer will determine the direction to go,” the superintendent said.