Belen teen shot in his home

BELEN—A 13-year-old boy was accidentally shot Friday evening by his uncle and is recovering from his injuries in an Albuquerque hospital.

Patrol officers and EMS received a call before 6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8, about a shooting at the south end of Belen. When they got to the house, located near Vivian Road and First Street, they found the boy injured.

“The uncle went by to say hi to the family,” BPD Detective Sgt. Joe Rodriguez said. “When he went to the boy’s room to say hi, he was laying down on his side. When the uncle bent down to give him a hug, he took out his gun that he carried in his front pocket.”

Rodriguez said that’s when the firearm went off, accidentally. The bullet, the detective said, entered the Belen Middle School student’s hip area, and exited out his left side.

The boy was taken to UNM-Hospital in Albuquerque, where he underwent emergency surgery. Rodriguez said he’s listed in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.

When Rodriguez spoke to the boy’s uncle, he was very upset about what had happened, and told the detective what occurred.

“He was very upset, very sad,” Rodriguez said about the uncle. “He told me he was always very careful with his gun, and when he bent down, it was bugging him so he took it out.”

The detective said the uncle didn’t have the magazine in the gun all the way, but it went off anyway.

“He told me, ‘I always have it out. I don’t play with guns. I take it very seriously. When I took it out, it went off.’”

Rodriguez said the man and the rest of the family has been very cooperative with investigators.

“I did recover the projectile from the hospital and the doctors said he was going to be OK,” he said. “I talked to mom today (Monday) and he’s going to be fine.”

Rodriguez said the case is still being actively investigated, and he is in touch with the district attorney’s office regarding the incident. He said he still has to do some followup interviews.