SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced on Sept. 8 a new public health order that outlines immediate actions aimed at quickly reducing gun violence and illegal drug use in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.

The recent shooting deaths of a 13-year-old girl on July 28, a 5-year-old girl on Aug. 14, and an 11-year-old boy on Sept. 6, as well as two mass shootings this year spurred the governor to declare gun violence a public health emergency on Sept.7. The Sept. 8 public health order includes directives to curb the gun violence and drug abuse that the Governor has declared to be public health emergencies.

"As I said [on Sept. 7, the time for standard measures has passed,”...

SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared gun violence a public health emergency following the murder of an 11-year-old boy on his way home from a baseball game on the night of Sept. 6.

“Today, I join the family of an 11-year-old boy in mourning his violent death yesterday. And I mourn the loss of a 5-year-old girl murdered in her bed last month. These are disgusting acts of violence that have no place in our communities," Lujan Grisham said.

She sent her condolences to the families that have been affected by the tragedies.

"As a mother and grandmother, I cannot fathom the depth of these losses, and their effects will be felt by families, friends and communities forever. I...

A Church Rock man has pled guilty to sexual abuse of a minor.

According to court documents, Lathem Eskeets engaged in a sexual act with a minor who was older than 12 at the time, but younger than 16 between August 2012 and August 2013. During the same time period, Eskeets, who is now 30 years old, made sexual contact with a minor victim who was younger than 12 at the time.

Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced on Sept. 6 that Lathem Eskeets pleaded guilty to one count each of sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact. Eskeets will remain in...

ISLETA, N.M. — A road rage indecent ended in a shooting that left one man dead.

The New Mexico State Police Investigation Bureau was requested to investigate a shooting that occurred on Interstate 25 northbound south of Isleta on Aug. 31.

Investigations Bureau agents learned that at around 2:00 p.m., a New Mexico State Police officer conducted a welfare check on a vehicle on the shoulder of I-25 around the 209-mile marker. The officer quickly learned that a road rage incident had just occurred, and someone had reportedly been shot.

Agents learned that two vehicles were involved in some kind of altercation while driving north on I-25.  The two vehicles pulled over and the...