Police shoot, kill suspect at West Side apartment complex

By KOB

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Police shot and killed a suspect at an apartment complex in northwest Albuquerque Thursday.

Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina said the incident actually began Wednesday morning. The mobile crisis team responded to an apartment at the Core Vistas at Seven Bar Ranch at 10600 Cibola Loop in response to a man “going through a mental crisis.”

Police said the 43-year-old man refused help so the team provided him with information on services that were available.

Police said officers were then called to the apartment complex again Thursday afternoon in response to shots fired.

According to APD, the suspect pointed a gun at officers when they tracked him down.

“At least one shot was fired and the suspect died on scene as a result of the gun shot wound,” Medina said.

Medina said the suspect pointed a gun at at least three other people – and he possibly shot and beat his wife before he was killed.

A woman named Guadalupe, who works for DoorDash, was trying to deliver food when the suspect pointed his gun at her.

“He was pointing the gun at two other people and then he pointed it at another man, and then at us,” she said. “There was, I mean, an old man inches away from him. I don’t know what words were exchanged there but he let the old man run because the old man ran and ducked behind other cars.”

Medina said the community is lucky this incident wasn’t worse, but he said it also raises questions about access to mental health resources.

“We’re in a mental health crisis. We know the pandemic has left people in vulnerable spots and that their mental health suffered during this time frame,” the chief said. “The mental health system has gone overlooked for a long period of time. The very last thing that should be happening is officers trying to deal with an armed individual.”