On the night of Friday, December 8, 2023, 16-year-old Elijah Pohl-Morfin died after being struck by a gunshot in the parking lot of Atrisco Heritage Academy High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Elijah was with a group of teenagers after a high school basketball game when a firearm discharged. A witness said classmate and fellow football player Adrian Martinez was adjusting a blue laser sight on the gun when it went off and hit Elijah. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene around 9:42 PM.

Rather than call for help at the school, Martinez and another teen drove the severely injured Elijah to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Martinez was later found at a diner changing clothes and attempting to dispose of items including a bloody sweatshirt, and was seen asking another teen to hide two firearms. He was taken into custody and charged with involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. Elijah’s family and schoolmates remembered him for his kindness, his smile, academic dedication, and long involvement in football.

If anyone was at Atrisco Heritage Academy that night or knows more about what happened, please share information with investigators.