Do Americans really believe that guns save lives?

New details have emerged about the killing of five people in the state of New Mexico. The victims, as it turned out, were family members of the murderer, 15-year-old Nehemiah Griego.

Photo: Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department

Having shot his father, a local pastor, his mother, brother and sister, the teenager was going to kill the family of  his 12-year-old girlfriend. Afterwards, the boy was going to arrange a massacre at a Walmart supermarket, says ABC News. Nehemiah said that he wanted to fire the gun indiscriminately at anyone who would get in his way. In the end, he wanted to be killed in a shootout with police.

Also read: Americans, never give up your guns

The tragedy took place overnight, from Sunday to Monday. Griego snuck into his parents' bedroom, where the weapons were stored, grabbed a 22-caliber gun from the wardrobe and shot his mother. Griego's nine-year-old brother, who was sleeping in the same room, woke up, and Nehemiah told him that his mother had died. The boy did not believe it, and the shooter lifted the mother's head from the pillow to show her bloodied face to his little brother. The nine-year-old boy was shocked, and Griego shot him in the head.

Afterwards, the killer went to the bedroom of his sisters, aged only two and five. When he entered, he saw that the girls were crying. He killed them both by shooting them in the head as well. The father was not home at that moment - he was busy in a rescue mission. When the head of the family returned home at about five o'clock in the morning, his son fired several shots at the man from the AR-15.

Having finished with the family, Nehemiah packed the weapons and ammo and was going to go to a Walmart store. Instead, he called his girlfriend and spent the  whole day with her. At about eight in the evening, the couple went to a church, where  Griego told the girl that his family had died in a car crash.

Also read: Americans have guns under their skin

One of the priests called "911." At 21:25, sheriff's assistants arrived to Griego's house. Inside the house, they saw the bloodied bodies of five. Nehemiah said that he came home at five in the morning and saw that his entire family was dead. It was then, according to him, when he took a weapon in his hands to protect themselves.

Soon afterwards, the killer pleaded guilty to the murders and confessed that he was "disappointed" in his mother. During the questioning, the boy was acting dispassionately and calmly, officials said. Griego will face charges of murder and several episodes of child abuse. He will go on trial as an adult.