15-year-old boy with pellet gun triggered shelter-in-place alert for Las Cruces schools

A 15-year-old Las Cruces boy with a pellet gun shooting at a rabbit apparently triggered reports to police of an armed man — which prompted numerous schools to effectively be placed on lockdown, authorities told ABC-7.

Shelter-in-place advisories were issued Monday morning for East Mesa Dona Ana Community College and numerous Las Cruces Public Schools: Camino Real Middle, Sonoma Elementary, Highland Elementary, and Onate High School.

Police agencies later gave an all clear, lifting the shelter-in-place advisories after it was determined there was no threat. One of the initial advisories had indicated “a subject with a hunting rifle in the area of Sonoma Ranch and Calle Jitas.”