ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Following a tragic shooting on the University of New Mexico’s main campus, students are grappling with the emotional aftermath and evaluating how safe they truly feel in their college environment.
The incident occurred early Friday morning at the Casa Del Rio student housing complex, where 14-year-old Michael LaMotte was fatally shot. A 19-year-old man was also injured in the same incident. The tragedy left many stunned — not just by the violence, but by the victim’s young age.
“It hit me hard when I heard it was a 14-year-old,” said Krystal Lapahie, a senior at UNM. “These things happen in the world, but it’s different when it’s this close.”
Sophomore Wynn Diaz, who lives just yards away from where the shooting occurred, described the experience as unsettling.
“There were officers right outside my window. It wasn’t that I feared an active shooter situation, but someone was shot 300 yards from where I sleep — that’s hard to ignore,” he said.
Students like Diaz emphasized that their concern wasn’t directed solely at UNM, but at broader safety issues in society and the surrounding area.
“This kind of incident is something I’ve always known could happen on campus,” he added.
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In response to the shooting, the university sent out multiple emergency alerts via its LoboAlerts system throughout the day. Diaz noted he received around 10 alerts by text and email. While he appreciates the effort, he feels the wording could be improved.
“Sending out messages with subject lines like ‘RUN, HIDE, FIGHT’ may trigger unnecessary panic,” he said. “It felt misleading since this was more of an ongoing investigation, not an active mass shooting.”
Lapahie echoed the need for timely, clear communication but acknowledged the system is a helpful tool.
“Sometimes I think the alerts come a bit late, but I know they’re doing their best to keep us informed,” she said.
UNM automatically enrolls all students, faculty, and staff into its LoboAlerts emergency notification system. The university also promotes “LoboGuardian,” a mobile app that transforms a user’s phone into a virtual emergency call station — similar to the blue light towers placed around campus.
As the investigation continues, students are doing their best to process what happened while leaning on safety tools and community support to regain a sense of normalcy.
