Two New Mexico teenagers have been indicted in the shooting death of a homeless man.
Christopher Sturluson, 23, was killed as he was sleeping in a tent behind an apartment complex near Carlisle and Montgomery in Albuquerque on May 1.
Authorities said the man had an exchange with two teens and told them to stop shooting in a nearby creek. His body was discovered in the 4600 block of Carlisle Boulevard.
Authorities who responded to the incident found evidence of a shooting in the area the night before, according to KOAT 7.
Using ShotSpotter, an acoustic gunshot detection system, police determined 10 gunshots had been fired just before 9 p.m. on April 30.
Officers with the Albuquerque Police Department responded to the shots fired and spoke to Sturluson, who told police three individuals had been shooting at him. Offcials said Sturluson had asked them to stop firing.
Between 10.15 p.m. and 11.50 p.m., six additional gunshots were fired, police data determined.
Joshua Curtis, 18, and a 17-year-old who has not been identified were arrested on first-degree murder and other charges.
Officials said the 17-year-old has an extensive criminal history that includes gun violence. He’s been accused of bringing a firearm to a high school.
The District Attorney’s Office has decided to charge him as an adult in connection with the man’s murder. Curtis is also being tried as an adult.
Curtis was taken into custody six days after he was charged on May 22. The 17-year-old was already in custody at Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center when his charges were filed on June 3, the TV station reported.
Curtis’ attorney, Jay K. Nair, told McClatchy News: “In our state, everyone accused of a criminal offense has the constitutional right to prepare and present a defense, no matter the nature of the allegations. It is my job as his defense attorney to make sure the case is fully investigated and to identify the facts behind the charges.
“As the case develops, we will separate the facts from fiction. It is important to remember that Mr. Curtis is innocent until proven guilty, and at this time the allegations in this case are just that — allegations.”
