Police: Suspected burglar shot by Rio Rancho homeowner was 15-year-old Albuquerque boy

Rio Rancho police on Friday named the burglary suspect who was shot by a Rio Rancho homeowner early Wednesday morning as a 15-year-old Albuquerque boy.

Rio Rancho police say the boy has been identified as 15-year-old Shaquan Ketcham, of Albuquerque. He remains hospitalized in critical condition as of Friday, police said.

He faces aggravated burglary charges related to the robbery. Police said Friday they had confirmed Ketcham was armed with a handgun during the burglary.

Police say Ketcham was dropped off at Presbyterian Rust Hospital with gunshot wounds to his chest and that officers found evidence from the burglary still on his person.

KOB has learned his father was in jail on a child abuse charge.

Sifting through the young man’s recent family past may give quite a bit of insight into where Ketcham’s head was on Wednesday — the day police say he broke into that house.

KOB has learned Ketcham’s 34-year-old father, Howard Ketcham, was booked on a child abuse charge May 20. The victim of that alleged abuse is unclear, but the older Ketcham was still in jail Wednesday.

In fact, the older Ketcham was formally indicted by a grand jury on an open count of child abuse on Wednesday, likely within hours of the burglary and shooting allegedly involving his son.

According to jail records, the older Ketcham was released from jail Friday morning.

But visits to all five of the older Ketcham’s previously-known addresses in Albuquerque turned up nothing — many neighbors telling KOB the man and his son had moved around southeast Albuquerque neighborhoods.

The homeowner who fired on him may not be out of the woods. Police say it’s still under investigation whether that man did anything to warrant his own charges.

Howard Ketcham’s next court appearance on his child abuse charge hasn’t yet been scheduled, but KOB will be following his case.