HOBBS, NM — A juvenile was taken into custody after a special education teacher was shot multiple times outside Highland Middle School, sending police, school officials and family members scrambling to understand what happened.
Authorities said the shooting happened Sept. 25 outside the school in Hobbs. Police initially responded around 11:40 a.m. to reports of a stabbing, but those calls were quickly updated to a possible shooting as officers rushed to the campus and secured the building.
Officials said students were safe when officers entered the school. A staff member was then found wounded outside the building, and the investigation into the shooting began immediately.
Police say officers first received stabbing reports before confirming a shooting
The Hobbs Police Department said the first emergency calls pointed to a stabbing, not gunfire. As officers responded, the situation changed and dispatch information shifted to a possible shooting at the middle school.
Police said they arrived within minutes and quickly locked down the campus. Their first priority was checking on students and staff inside the building before focusing on the area where the injured employee was found.
Authorities said the rapid response helped ensure students were not harmed. The school day, however, was disrupted by the violence just outside the campus.
Kelly Matthews was found wounded outside the school building
The victim was later identified by his family as Kelly Matthews, a special education teacher. Family members said he was shot in the stomach and hip and may also have been grazed by another bullet.
Investigators believe Matthews was walking either through the school parking lot or between buildings when he encountered the suspect. Police have not said whether he was specifically targeted or whether he was caught in a broader plan.
Matthews was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was reported to be stable and in good spirits. His family has not released additional details about his condition.
Officials say a 13-year-old boy fired multiple rounds before fleeing on foot
Police described the shooter as a juvenile male who produced a handgun and fired multiple times before running away from the scene. Officers later located the suspect after searching the area around the school.
The juvenile was taken into custody, but police did not release his name. Authorities did confirm that he is 13 years old.
Investigators have not said whether the boy was a student at Highland Middle School. No additional information about how he got the weapon has been released.
School leaders moved quickly to reassure families after the attack
Highland Middle School Superintendent Gene Strickland said in a statement that a juvenile attacked and shot one of the district’s staff members while outside the building. The school district said its immediate focus was the victim, the students and the rest of the staff.
Hobbs Municipal Schools said it wanted Highland Middle School to remain a safe and supportive place for children and employees. The district’s statement reflected the concern many families likely felt as the campus dealt with the aftermath of the shooting.
School officials did not announce any long-term changes in the immediate aftermath, but the incident placed a sharp spotlight on campus safety and emergency response.
Investigation continues as family members and police raise questions about motive
The investigation remains active, and police have not identified a motive. That has left open questions about whether Matthews was chosen at random, singled out or caught in an attack that could have become even more serious.
Matthews’ daughter told KOAT that investigators and relatives do not yet know whether he was the intended target. She said they were also trying to determine whether he was the first victim in what may have been a planned mass shooting.
For now, authorities are focusing on the suspect’s arrest, the circumstances around the gunfire and the teacher’s recovery. The school community is left dealing with the fear and uncertainty that followed the shooting.
