Santa Teresa home hit by stray bullets just weeks after family moves in

SANTA TERESA, New Mexico (KVIA) -- A homeowner in Santa Teresa says stray gunfire struck his house overnight, leaving damage to his garage and raising concerns about his family's safety.

The homeowner, who asked not to be identified, said he and his family moved into the neighborhood about three weeks ago and discovered the damage Sunday morning.

“I woke up with a hole in my garage, saw the light right through it,” the resident said. “So I looked into it, and I saw there was a projectile inside my solo cups on top of my freezer, which is crazy because it’s in line with my daughter’s room.”

The resident said a second projectile appeared to have ricocheted off the side of the home and landed near the front doorstep.

Police responded to the home and filed a report, but the resident says they told him to file a report with "the city."

“They filed a report for me and said I can get that within a week so I can file an insurance claim,” the resident said. “It’s not under warranty, so I have to pay out of pocket for the damage.”

Santa Teresa is an unincorporated community in Doña Ana County.

ABC-7 contacted the city of Sunland Park, Doña Ana Sheriff's Office and Doña Ana County Commissioner Gloria Gameros who oversees that area of the county. We asked them for more information about what efforts have been made to increase enforcement and maintain public safety in that area. They have not yet responded to our inquiries.

The homeowner said the garage had recently been repaired and repainted following prior construction-related damage.

The area near Santa Teresa is known for open land where some people gather to hike, off-road and shoot firearms, commonly referred to by locals as “the wall.” Residents say the activity can last for hours, sometimes into the night.

The homeowner said he was inside his garage until about 8 p.m. Saturday and did not notice anything unusual, leading him to believe the rounds may have been fired overnight.

He described feeling alarmed after realizing how close one of the rounds came to his child’s bedroom.

“I was concerned, I was worried and scared,” the resident said. “Now I can’t even have my daughter in her own room to play or sleep. I have to keep her in my bedroom further away from that area.”

ABC-7 spoke to another neighbor on the same street in October 2025, who said his house had been struck by bullets twice in a year.

“I’m all about guns, but gun safety is my number one priority,” the resident said. “Once you introduce alcohol or drugs, people start shooting in whatever direction they want, and that’s when someone gets hurt.”

He said the shooting area is roughly a mile away.

“There are no real rules out there, it’s first-come, first-served,” the resident said.

The homeowner said he hopes local officials will consider adding safety measures or reevaluating the area as development continues nearby.

“I just want more infrastructure so these rounds don’t exit the range and harm people or homes,” the resident said. “Before long, it’s going to be more than just a building getting shot.”