Mother of teenager killed in parking garage seeks answers

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – It was a quiet Fourth of July for the family of 17-year-old Mariano Salazar.

“We never thought something like this could happen to him. It seemed harmless, I don’t know what else to say,” said Salazar’s mother.

Just over a week ago, the teenager was shot and killed in a parking garage in downtown Albuquerque at the corner of Gold and 2nd Street.

Now Salazar’s mother says she still can’t believe she lost her son to gun violence on the subway.

“I think this is a huge problem. I mean, we were here a couple of nights ago and there were some teenagers fighting downstairs. We saw a teenager point a gun at another teenager and it’s just horrible that these teenagers get their hands on weapons like that, it’s horrible,” Salazar’s mother said.

The parking garage where Salazar was shot is near the one where police chased 19-year-old Steven Robles into another parking garage downtown last weekend, part of an APD operation to combat underage drinking and gun use in the downtown area.

According to officers, Robles attempted to drive away but was stopped by a spike tape and was arrested. Officers later found an AR-15 and a handgun in Robles’ car.

In June, the APD announced that police would be increasing patrols downtown this summer, using mounted officers and taking a proactive approach to combat crimes like Salazar’s murder.

Although there aren’t many details about what led to the shooting, his mother, in her quest for justice, wants everyone to know the best sides of the son she lost.

“He was just a respectful little boy who loved to smile. When people were having a bad day or just sad, he was the one trying to make jokes, make everyone happy, make everyone laugh. I hope and pray that we find justice and that they find out what happened to Mariano because right now it’s just a guessing game and I don’t have any answers.”

No one has been arrested in Salazar’s murder. Robles, the 19-year-old who was arrested over the weekend, is charged with aggravated escape.

Youth and guns are one of the highest, if not the highest, priorities for local law enforcement and prosecutors.

Lawmakers are returning to Santa Fe this month for a special session on public safety, but that issue is not on the agenda.

While the agenda is not yet set in stone, we know the focus will really be on criminal justice competency, so the earliest we will see a teen-related legislative initiative is in next year’s 60-day session.