In the winter of 2023, the life of 16-year-old Hispanic/Latino male, Elijah Pohl-Morfin, was tragically cut short in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. On the night of Friday, December 8th, what should have been a typical evening following a high school basketball game turned into a scene of devastating loss in the parking lot of Atrisco Heritage Academy High School.
Elijah was with a group of other teenagers, including his 16-year-old classmate and fellow football player, Adrian
Martinez. The boys were reportedly smoking marijuana and handling a gun when the weapon discharged. According to one witness, Martinez was adjusting the blue laser sight on his firearm when it went off, striking Elijah. The shooting occurred around 9:42 PM, and the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the scene.
Instead of immediately calling for help, Martinez and another teen drove the gravely injured Elijah to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his gunshot wounds. In the aftermath, Martinez fled and was later tracked to a diner. There, he was seen changing his clothes and attempting to dispose of evidence, including a bloody sweatshirt. It was also reported that Martinez tried to have another teenager hide two firearms.
Adrian Martinez was taken into custody and subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. The incident sent shockwaves through the Atrisco Heritage Academy community, where both boys were 11th-grade students. School officials and law enforcement alike lamented the prevalence of firearms among young people. Elijah was remembered for his kindness, his ever-present smile, his dedication to his education, and his passion for football, a sport he had played since the fifth grade.
