Manzano HS asst. principal shot multiple times Thurs. night; alleged shooter commits suicide

Manzano High School’s assistant principal was shot multiple times Thursday night in northeast Albuquerque by a man who then fled and later committed suicide.

Manzano Assistant Principal James Chacho, 42, was found shot multiple times in the 9200 block of Montgomery NE around 8:45 p.m. Thursday. He was in critical condition Thursday night and remained critical Friday morning.

Albuquerque police spokesperson Tanner Tixier said Friday morning Chacho was shot by 46-year-old Craig Cuthbert, who believed Chacho was having an affair with his wife.

Tixier said Cuthbert confronted Chacho earlier in the day and afterward texted Chacho asking to meet so he could apologize. APS said the confrontation occurred around 2:30 p.m. at Manzano High School after school was let out for early release. Cuthbert was escorted off the campus by APS police.

When they did meet, Cuthbert shot Chacho, according to police, then fled to the Faith Lutheran Church on 10000 Spain NE, where he shot himself to death.

CHACHO PREVIOUSLY WORKED AT SAME HIGH SCHOOL AS CUTHBERT’S WIFE

APS spokesman Rigo Chavez said Cuthbert’s wife is an occupational therapist at Eldorado High School, where Chacho was formerly an assistant principal. He came to Manzano this year from Hoover Middle School, where he was also a principal.

Chavez said Chacho is in his first year at Manzano and that the school has a crisis intervention team in place to assist students and staff Friday.

Chacho was principal at Hoover from July 2013-July 2015. He was assistant principal at Eldorado High from July 2009-2013. Before that, he served as assistant principal from Oct. 2007-2009. He was hired as an APS teacher in 1999.

A letter sent home to parents of Manzano High School kids said APS Crisis Team, counselors, teachers and other support staff will remain available through the school day as needed, and gave phone numbers for people to call should they need mental health assistance.

Chavez said classes will be on a regular schedule and counselors will remain at the campus “as long as necessary.”

COMMUNITY REACTS

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jim Chacho’s family and all the families involved in this terrible tragedy,” APS Superintendent Dr. Luis Valentino said in a statement. “The district crisis team has joined counselors at the schools involved to provide support for students, staff and families. They will be at the schools as long as they are needed.”

While many of the students at Manzano said they did not know Chacho yet, a few did, and had glowing things to say of him.

“Whenever I got here I got to meet him. He was new and he was doing the orientation. He’s a really nice guy – really funny – and when I heard he got shot I was pretty shocked,” said student Eric Ortiz. “It seems incomprehensible, you know? The shock of it is not really hitting everybody at the same time.”

A spokesperson for the church where Cuthbert killed himself said Cuthbert was a member of the church years ago but hadn’t been active recently.

Pastor Bruce Wilder issued a statement regarding Cuthbert’s suicide Friday:

“The pastors and people of Faith Lutheran Church are deeply saddened by last night’s events.  No member of Faith was in the church building or in danger when the tragic events unfolded.  As people of God, we hold both the Cuthbert and Chacho families in our prayers.  The pastors of Faith are reaching out to family members in Christian love and compassion.  We also extend our gratitude to the members of the Albuquerque Police Department for their prompt response and professionalism.  At this time, there are no details regarding a funeral service for Mr. Cuthbert.”

This is a developing news story; stay posted to KOB.com for the latest information.

Originally published at KOB.com