An 11-year-old boy from Albuquerque has been terrorizing the city for weeks, racking up a criminal record that would be impressive even for an experienced criminal. Police have arrested the youngster, who they are now referring to as “the pint-sized perp from hell”, on charges including shootings, burglaries and auto theft.
Harold Medina, police chief of Albuquerque, stated after the boy’s arrest that he is considered “very dangerous” due to his use of a firearm and escalating violence. The first incident connected to the child dates back to May 5th when a car was stolen in the northeast of the city and recovered about an hour later.
A week later, on May 12th, a woman was struck in the leg when four kids threw rocks at her home in an attempt to break her windows. That same day, a 12-year-old also reported a group of boys throwing rocks at her house, identifying some of them as members of a neighborhood group of miscreants known as the “Kia Boys.
However, joyriding and rock throwing were just the beginning for this young offender. In a commercial burglary incident allegedly tied to the youth, Albuquerque police reported that someone driving a stolen car in reverse crashed through the front security door of a business and stole over $15,000 worth of property.
On May 29th, a man called 911 to report that four boys in a blue Kia shot at him after he asked them to leave his property. A .9mm bullet casing was found at the scene. Just a few days later, authorities received a call from another man who said he’d been shot in the hand. Police found a .9mm handgun at the scene.
In a post on social media site X, Chief Medina expressed disappointment that such a young boy had been arrested for committing so many crimes and acknowledged that his “behavior was escalating and he was a danger to the community.” He also stated that he was grateful no force had been needed to apprehend the child.
The boy, whose name has not been released due to his age, faces multiple charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, shooting into an occupied dwelling, aggravated battery, unlawful possession of a weapon by a minor, nonresidential burglary, criminal damage to property over $1,000, and conspiracy to commit a fourth-degree felony.
It is currently unknown if the boy has retained legal counsel.
