Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, arrested an 11-year-old boy last week for his alleged involvement in a series of violent crimes, including shooting and burglary.
The suspect faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit a fourth-degree felony, aggravated battery, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor, according to KOB-TV in Albuquerque.
He also faces charges of conspiracy, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, shooting into an occupied dwelling, criminal damage to property over $1,000, and non-residential burglary, the news station reported.
He was arrested Thursday.
“I am grateful that we took this young suspect into custody without our officers having to use force,” Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said, according to KOB.
“Despite his age, this suspect is considered very dangerous because of his use of a firearm and his escalating violence.”
On May 5, the boy allegedly stole a Kia Forte vehicle in the northeastern part of the city, KOB-TV reported. The car would be recovered an hour after the theft.
Seven days later, the boy was allegedly part of a group of four that hurled rocks at a home, injuring a woman in the leg.
The group also tried to break into the home of a 12-year-old, prompting her to call 911 and identify some of the involved suspects to law enforcement.
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During the call, the news station reported, the girl told authorities that the boys were part of the Kia Boyz, the name given to juveniles who take part in a social-media-fueled fad targeting Kias for theft, according to police, KRQE-TV reported.
Police said the manufacturer has a reputation for making vehicles that can be stolen easily, the news station reported.
Last year, according to an NBC report from May 19, 2023, Kia and Hyundai reached a settlement in class action suit filed on behalf of vehicle owners who suffered losses from vehicle thefts or attempted thefts. Several cities, including St. Louis, Missouri, Cleveland, Ohio; San Diego, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Columbus, Ohio; Baltimore and Seattle have also sued the automakers, NBC reported.
Participants are notorious for sharing footage of themselves riding stolen vehicles on social media platforms such as YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok, according to The Verge.
The menace started in 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and spread throughout the Midwest and the Northeastern United States, according to an April 26 report by WTIC-TV in Hartford, Connecticut.
On May 17, KOB-TV reported, the arrested juvenile, according to police, participated in a burglary at 12900 Indian School NE, where over $15,000 worth of property was lost to theft and damage.
Twelve days later, the boy was allegedly involved in a shooting alongside three other juveniles who fired at a man outside his home using a 9mm round, KOB-TV reported.
On June 1, the boy was involved in another shooting, according to the news station.
“Disappointing to see a 11-year-old arrested for a crimes – from burglary to shooting a firearm,” Medina wrote in a post shared on X. “But this armed individual’s behavior was escalating and he was a danger to the community.
“We need to do something about the toxic mix of guns and social media. Kids need consequences,” Medina wrote.
