UNM officials pledge transparency and improved safety policies in wake of fatal shooting
By Megan Kamerick
August 1, 2025 at 6:58 PM MDT
A week after a 14-year-old was fatally shot in campus housing, University of New Mexico officials say they’re working to revamp policies to keep the community safer. Those include improving the emergency notification system and tightening guest access to student housing.
UNM President Garnett Stokes said the investigation is ongoing by New Mexico State Police, so officials could not comment on details.
John Fuentes, 18, has been charged in the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Michael LaMotte on July 25 and the injury of another teen. They were among four boys in the Casas del Rio dorm, but only the injured teenager was a student.
Stokes said UNM will be transparent on issues related to campus safety.
“We're working to evaluate what preventative measures can be taken to limit our residence halls to the students we serve while still providing a welcoming environment where students feel safe and at home,” she said.
She said UNM is reviewing key card access systems, guest policies, and other security measures. She added UNM has funded over $20 million in safety improvements in the last five years, which are underway.
Those have included more fencing, more buildings with badge-only access, and more cameras. The campus currently has 1800 external cameras, although they are not integrated with the Albuquerque Police Real Time Crime Center.
The dorm where the shooting took place is owned and managed by American Campus Communities. University officials declined to answer questions on staffing at the dorm on July 25, noting it’s part of the investigation. Executive Vice President for Finance Teresa Constantinidis said the company must still abide by the student living handbook policies.
“Now, how they go about doing that is what we're investigating right now, and if there were any gaps, we're going to find out and try to fix them,” she said.
The UNM Residence Hall Handbook states that all guests must be UNM students, except for family or friends who are assisting residents with moving in or out of residence halls.
UNM Police Chief Joseph Silva reiterated the university has a zero tolerance policy for firearms on campus, but did not offer details about measures to prevent guns from coming into campus buildings.
“We actively enforce policies and laws when appropriate,” he said. “That said, no safety system is foolproof, especially when individuals intentionally conceal weapons or choose to break the law.”
When asked about some inconsistencies in Lobo Alerts that people get on their cell phones during the lockdown after the shooting, Silva said UNM Police is working to improve its emergency alert system. While people who live near the campus are not automatically enrolled in Lobo Alerts if they are not part of UNM, they can sign up for that service, Constantinidis said.
UNM Police is also working to get Albuquerque Police to share alerts from its ShotSpotter technology.
“At this time when ShotSpotter activation is made, APD does not notify us directly,” Silva said. “That's something that we have to reach out to them, but we're working with them now to work a solution for that so that we can get notification.”
Michael LaMotte’s mother has said through her attorney that she called UNM Police to report the shooting, but that they took no action until she drove to campus and activated an emergency phone near the dorm.
President Stokes said the shooting so far has not harmed enrollment. In fact the incoming fall class will see an additional 600 students, a 3% increase.
UNM President Garnett Stokes said the investigation is ongoing by New Mexico State Police, so officials could not comment on details.
John Fuentes, 18, has been charged in the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Michael LaMotte on July 25 and the injury of another teen. They were among four boys in the Casas del Rio dorm, but only the injured teenager was a student.
Stokes said UNM will be transparent on issues related to campus safety.
“We're working to evaluate what preventative measures can be taken to limit our residence halls to the students we serve while still providing a welcoming environment where students feel safe and at home,” she said.
She said UNM is reviewing key card access systems, guest policies, and other security measures. She added UNM has funded over $20 million in safety improvements in the last five years, which are underway.
Those have included more fencing, more buildings with badge-only access, and more cameras. The campus currently has 1800 external cameras, although they are not integrated with the Albuquerque Police Real Time Crime Center.
The dorm where the shooting took place is owned and managed by American Campus Communities. University officials declined to answer questions on staffing at the dorm on July 25, noting it’s part of the investigation. Executive Vice President for Finance Teresa Constantinidis said the company must still abide by the student living handbook policies.
“Now, how they go about doing that is what we're investigating right now, and if there were any gaps, we're going to find out and try to fix them,” she said.
The UNM Residence Hall Handbook states that all guests must be UNM students, except for family or friends who are assisting residents with moving in or out of residence halls.
UNM Police Chief Joseph Silva reiterated the university has a zero tolerance policy for firearms on campus, but did not offer details about measures to prevent guns from coming into campus buildings.
“We actively enforce policies and laws when appropriate,” he said. “That said, no safety system is foolproof, especially when individuals intentionally conceal weapons or choose to break the law.”
When asked about some inconsistencies in Lobo Alerts that people get on their cell phones during the lockdown after the shooting, Silva said UNM Police is working to improve its emergency alert system. While people who live near the campus are not automatically enrolled in Lobo Alerts if they are not part of UNM, they can sign up for that service, Constantinidis said.
UNM Police is also working to get Albuquerque Police to share alerts from its ShotSpotter technology.
“At this time when ShotSpotter activation is made, APD does not notify us directly,” Silva said. “That's something that we have to reach out to them, but we're working with them now to work a solution for that so that we can get notification.”
Michael LaMotte’s mother has said through her attorney that she called UNM Police to report the shooting, but that they took no action until she drove to campus and activated an emergency phone near the dorm.
President Stokes said the shooting so far has not harmed enrollment. In fact the incoming fall class will see an additional 600 students, a 3% increase.