What do we know about the shooting at University of New Mexico that left one person dead?
Though details remain unclear at this time, we do know that a New Mexico State player opened fire on a group of University of New Mexico students who allegedly attacked him, killing one of them.
The NCAA has again been rocked by news of one of its athletes being involved in a shooting, following the mass shooting that occurred in Virginia last week.
NMSU basketballer in hospital after shooting leaves one dead
According to reports on Saturday, a New Mexico State University basketball player is in the hospital after he was involved in a shooting on the campus of in-state rivals University of New Mexico in the early hours of Saturday morning. Sadly, police also confirmed that another individual, identified as 19-year-old UNM student, Brandon Travis, was killed in the altercation. The shooting occurred on the same day that the two teams were due to play each other on New Mexico’s campus in Alburquerque. Understandably, the game was postponed.
What do we know about the shooting on UNM’s campus?
In light of comments made by the New Mexico State Police on Sunday, we can understand that Travis “had conspired with a 17-year-old female and two of Travis’s male friends, all UNM students, to lure the 21-year-old victim to UNM campus and assault him.” The NMSP indicated, that at that point an altercation began which in turn led to the NMSU player, who is yet to be identified, shooting Travis, who was later pronounced dead at the scene. According to police, the player has not been identified due to protocol which stipulates that a victim, or person who has not yet been charged with a crime can’t be identified. Regarding the aforementioned female, NMSP indicated that she has been booked into a juvenile detention facility on charges of aggravated battery and conspiracy.
NMS addresses the shooting
Following the terrible event, New Mexico State’s chancellor, Dan Arvizu, released a statement in which he indicated that some of the schools’ personnel had remained in Albuquerque to be with the hospitalized player, while the rest of the team returned home.
“We know that one of our student athletes is now in the hospital following an altercation on the UNM campus,” Arvizu said in a statement. “We also know another person has lost their life following that altercation. Any untimely passing is a tragedy, but it’s especially heartbreaking when it involves students and happens on a university campus. I’ve spoken with UNM President Garnett Stokes and relayed my sympathies and those of our entire NMSU community.” A sad end, to what could otherwise have been a weekend of sport and healthy competition, between neighboring schools - approximately 200 miles apart - and another reminder in just over a week, of the gun violence that continues to take many lives.