In a heart-wrenching incident captured on bodycam, a police investigation into a New Mexico shooting reveals the devastating moment a father finds out his 13-year-old daughter has been tragically killed. The footage, which surfaced following the incident in July 2023, captures the raw emotion as the father, Joshua Archuleta, is hit with the horrifying news.
The unexpected tragedy unfolded when Amber Archuleta went to a friend’s house in Questa with her brother. There, a teenager pulled out his father’s firearm and, in a chilling moment, fired the gun.
Amber was fatally struck. The bodycam footage from the officers at the scene shows Joshua Archuleta learning about his daughter’s death from EMS workers. The despair is palpable, with screams audible in the background as he processes the gut-wrenching information.
Joshua Archuleta recounted the dreadful day, telling KRQE, “He was like ‘dad, just get down here, Amber’s been shot,’ but I heard it in his voice, so I just threw everything down and came into Questa.” When he arrived, the grim reality hit—he found his daughter dead.
“It was just awful, it was just completely horrible,” he expressed his anguish.
The teenager responsible for the shooting was actually a close friend of Amber’s brother. “I never expected this to come out. I mean he spent holidays with us, and stuff and he seemed like a nice kid, but it’s turning out that he did have some really major issues,” Archuleta disclosed.
The young suspect was charged with second-degree murder. However, his initial trial concluded with a hung jury. Shane Maier, representing the family, told KOAT that a second trial is anticipated in the upcoming months of 2024.
Meanwhile, the shooter’s father, William Brown, faced charges under a new state law aimed at preventing such tragedies by mandating adults keep firearms out of reach of children.
During his trial, the prosecution argued Brown’s negligence contributed to the fatal incident. They presented evidence of unsecured firearms at his home, although it was contested whether the gun used was his. After deliberating for approximately two hours, the jury acquitted Brown.
Fondly remembering Amber, Joshua Archuleta described her as a vibrant and fearless spirit, always adventurous with her brother, often seen popping wheelies or ramping on their bikes.
“You know her and her brother […] riding their bikes, she was the one popping the wheelies and ramping and stuff like that,” he reminisced.