Campus Alert Archive
UNM

Fatal Dormitory Shooting Forces 12-Hour Shelter-in-Place as Suspect Flees UNM Campus

NMshootingemergency notificationhigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

In the early morning hours of July 25, 2025, a shooting at the Casas del Rio (Gila) dormitory left 14-year-old Michael Lamotte dead and 19-year-old Daniel Archuleta injured. UNM issued multiple Lobo Alerts beginning at 3:27 AM MDT, eventually placing central campus under a shelter-in-place order that lasted until 3:50 PM MDT. The suspect, John Fuentes, 18, was taken into custody by New Mexico State Police later that day.

Alerts
5
Response
—
Killed
1
Injured
1
Institution
University of New Mexico
Public R1 · NM
~25,000 studentsLoboAlerts
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

5 messages in sequence · 5 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTmulti-channel
Verified verbatimUNM UCAM Newsroom Lobo Alert Archive864 chars
Police Activity at Casas Del Rio-Gila. UNM police are investigating a shooting incident and are gathering initial information. Police on scene. Please avoid the area until further notice. If you have any information regarding this incident or notice any suspicious behavior, please contact UNM PD at 277-2241. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available. Please do not call UNM Police to ask for updates. Please be aware of your surroundings. LoboGuardian is an app that turns your smartphone into a virtual blue light phone. More information available at loboguardian.unm.edu. Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers - Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,000 for anonymous tips that lead to an arrest. Call the tip line at 505-843-STOP (505-843-7867), download the Crime Stoppers app, or visit AMCS online (www.crimestoppersnm.com) to make an anonymous tip.
Sent at 3:27 AM MDT on July 25, 2025, describing the incident as 'police activity' rather than an active threat despite a shooting with a suspect at large
The alert asked the community not to call UNM Police for updates, a standard UNM practice to keep dispatch lines clear during active investigations
Included boilerplate LoboGuardian and Crime Stoppers information, adding significant length to a time-critical emergency message
UPDATEmulti-channel+4h 29m
Verified verbatimUNM UCAM Newsroom Lobo Alert Archive355 chars
In the early morning hours of July 25, 2025, UNMPD received a report of gunshots fired at Casas del Rio (Gila), located at 420 Redondo Dr. NE in Albuquerque. Responding officers discovered two individuals had been shot. One victim is deceased, and the other sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect remains at large and may still be on campus.
Sent at 7:56 AM MDT, over four hours after the initial alert, this update was the first to confirm a fatality and that the suspect was still at large
This was the first alert to use specific location details including the street address (420 Redondo Dr. NE)
UPDATEmulti-channel+5h 33m
Verified verbatimUNM UCAM Newsroom Lobo Alert Archive381 chars
Central Campus remains CLOSED. Anyone on campus should continue to SHELTER IN PLACE. Law enforcement is still on scene conducting a sweep of campus in search of a suspect involved in this morning's fatal shooting. Continue to monitor your UNM email, text messages, and LoboGuardian for real-time updates. If you have any information about this incident, call UNMPD at 505-277-2241.
Sent at 9:00 AM MDT on July 25, 2025, this update escalated to an explicit SHELTER IN PLACE order with CLOSED campus status
Use of all-caps for 'CLOSED' and 'SHELTER IN PLACE' follows best practices for urgency signaling in emergency notifications
UPDATEmulti-channel+12h 23m
Verified verbatimUNM UCAM Newsroom Lobo Alert Archive493 chars
There is still an active crime scene on the central corridor of the central campus from the roundabout on Redondo E Dr. NE to the Duck Pond. The shelter in place is lifted, however, central campus remains closed. Evacuation is not mandatory. Dorm students will be able to eat in La Posada and return to their dorm rooms. Please avoid the crime scene shown in orange on the map and follow the directions of officers on campus. The New Mexico State Police will continue to investigate this case.
Sent at 3:50 PM MDT on July 25, 2025, lifting the shelter-in-place order after approximately 6 hours, though campus remained partially closed
Referenced specific campus landmarks (Redondo E Dr. roundabout, Duck Pond, La Posada dining hall) to guide students around the active crime scene
Noted that New Mexico State Police had taken over the investigation from UNMPD
ALL CLEARmulti-channel+17h 18m
Verified verbatimUNM UCAM Newsroom Lobo Alert Archive150 chars
New Mexico State Police advised that the suspect from today's shooting is in custody. The campus will be open with all planned activities on Saturday.
Sent at approximately 8:45 PM MDT on July 25, 2025, confirming the suspect's arrest and full campus reopening for the following day
The all-clear came approximately 17 hours after the initial shooting report
Context

Background

On July 25, 2025, a fatal shooting at the University of New Mexico's Casas del Rio (Gila) dormitory resulted in one death and one injury, triggering a campus-wide emergency response. The victim was identified as 14-year-old Michael Lamotte, with 19-year-old Daniel Archuleta wounded; the group had reportedly been playing video games in a dorm room when the gunfire began, raising questions about juvenile access to campus dormitories. UNMPD responded immediately, but the suspect fled the scene, leading to an extended shelter-in-place order that lasted from approximately 9:00 AM to 3:50 PM MDT. The Daily Lobo student newspaper provided real-time coverage of the unfolding situation. New Mexico State Police took over the investigation and arrested John Fuentes, 18, around 2:30 PM via a license-plate-reader-aided traffic stop in Valencia County. The incident prompted a campus-wide review of dormitory security protocols, with UNMPD evaluating access controls and visitor policies ahead of the fall semester. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that the shooting turned a spotlight on campus security as the new semester approached.
Analysis

Key Findings

The initial Lobo Alert at 3:27 AM described the shooting as 'police activity' rather than an active threat, potentially downplaying the danger while a suspect was at large
The shelter-in-place order lasted approximately 6 hours, with central campus remaining partially closed for an additional 5 hours after it was lifted
All five Lobo Alerts from the incident are preserved in the UNM UCAM Newsroom archive, providing a complete official record of the emergency communication timeline
Outcome
John Fuentes, 18, was located and arrested by New Mexico State Police around 2:30 PM MDT on July 25, about 13 hours after the initial response, and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and tampering with evidence. The campus reopened with all planned activities on Saturday, July 26.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Lobo Alert – 7.25.2025 (UNM UCAM Newsroom)
    news.unm.edu
  2. national media
    University of New Mexico shooting: Suspect in custody (CNN)
    cnn.com
  3. national media
    1 dead in UNM dorm shooting; suspect arrested and charged (CBS News)
    cbsnews.com
  4. Student Paper
    Dorm shooting leaves 1 dead, 1 injured (The Daily Lobo)
    dailylobo.com
  5. national media
    Man, 18, arrested in fatal shooting in UNM dorm (UPI)
    upi.com
  6. News
    Fatal shooting at UNM dorm turns spotlight on campus security (Santa Fe New Mexican)
    santafenewmexican.com
  7. News
    UNMPD looks into adjusting security protocol around dorms (KRQE)
    krqe.com
Tags
shootingdormitoryfatalityshelter-in-placenew-mexicocampus-security-reviewjuvenile-victimsuspect-arrested
Added April 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion