New Mexico man shoots stepmom as she tried to give him hug during graduation ceremony
A 21-year-old man allegedly shot his stepmother as she approached to hug him during his charter school graduation ceremony, according to New Mexico police. Cristian Bencomo was taken into custody on Wednesday, May 8, after being accused of shooting his stepmother, as stated by the Albuquerque Police Department on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The incident unfolded at the Albuquerque Convention Center shortly after 5 p.m. Officers responded to reports of gunfire, initially treating it as an active shooter situation until they discovered it was a single gunshot, as explained by Gilbert Gallegos, the department’s communications director, in a video on X. The investigation revealed that Bencomo's stepmother approached him for a hug, and he responded by pulling out a handgun and shooting her in the neck.
According to witness Mary Ward, the graduation ceremony was proceeding smoothly until the abrupt violence. Students were engaged in a ceremony where they gave roses to someone in the audience when the shooting occurred. Ward described hearing a loud noise, leading to chaos among the more than 100 attendees at the charter school graduation.
Despite the chaos, bystanders managed to restrain Bencomo until officers arrived. The victim was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries but underwent extensive surgery and will require ongoing medical care and rehabilitation, according to organizers of a GoFundMe campaign for her.
Angel Chester, the victim’s sister, recounted witnessing Bencomo allegedly stomp on her sister's head after the shooting. She expressed disbelief and anguish over the incident.
Online jail records indicate that Bencomo is facing several charges, including aggravated assault and aggravated battery, and is being held without bail. Police continue to investigate the shooting.
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