Hearing postponed for man accused of vandalizing BernCo headquarters

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The windows shot out at Bernalillo County headquarters at Alvarado Square have caused quite the headache.

With all the damage left behind, it will be closed until Thursday – after Noah Tapia allegedly fired multiple rounds into the building last week.

Tapia was scheduled to be in court Monday, but his hearing was reset and the county hasn’t set a new date yet.

“Someone fired shots four or five stories up in the atrium lobby area,” said Tia Bland Bernalillo County communication services director.

It will now take almost two weeks to get everything cleaned up — and the building reopened. All ten broken windows have been boarded up and will remain that way for months.

Clean-up crews have been working from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. trying to clean up the broken glass that fell on multiple floors – on window ledges, under desks and even embedded in the carpet. So far, they have removed 30 pounds of broken glass.

The bullets also ripped through computer screens and paintings hanging on the wall.

They have also brought in an elevator specialist to make sure the cables are safe to use and to remove glass from the elevator mechanics.

So far, the county estimates $45,000 worth of damages.

“I was a little startled, a bit shocked and sadden by the fact that someone would choose to act out in this manner," said Bland.