City targets gun violence

Initiatives focus on violent criminals

In commemoration of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, Mayor Tim Keller late Friday unveiled city initiatives in an effort to curb gun violence in Albuquerque.

The plan focuses on getting violent offenders off the streets, keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, equipping law enforcement with tools to address illegal gun sales, and improving ballistics tracing, according to a news release.

“While we are making progress toward reducing overall crime in Albuquerque, we know guns are being used more often as a weapon of choice, and violent crime remains a pressing challenge,” Keller said. “We have to take action to reduce gun violence and keep our neighborhoods safe.”

The release stated that the actions are guided by the statement of principles for the Mayors Against Illegal Guns group signed by Keller earlier this year.

The Keller administration’s actions to address gun violence includes the Albuquerque Police Department prioritizing and targeting offenders with outstanding warrants who have been involved in gun crimes to get dangerous criminals off the streets, according to the release.

It also includes encouraging responsible gun owners not to leave their guns in vehicles to prevent them from being stolen.

Other actions include working with other law enforcement agencies on gun-tracing initiatives and assigning an APD officer to the ATF National Integrated Ballistic Information Network to help solve gun crimes.

Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesman, said the department would have more to announce regarding the initiatives in coming weeks.