Man shot by police had violent past

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - Mickey Owings, 26, was shot and killed by Detective Kevin Sanchez -a 15-year veteran - when police said Owings tried to run them over. After further investigation, KRQE Channel 13 learned Owings had a violent criminal history.

A source close to the investigation said police received a call from someone who claimed to have been robbed over the weekend and that he'd spotted the suspect's car, which turned out to be stolen, in the Wal-Mart parking lot at Coors Boulevard and Ouray road.

Police watched the car waiting for the driver to return when Owings and Michelle Munoz, 26, drove up in a stolen green Jeep.

The source said Owings got out of the Jeep, into the other stolen car then back into the Jeep and that's when police boxed him in to make their arrest.

Sanchez shot Owings once when he tried to run officers over to get away and rammed police cars and other parked cars. Sanchez is on a standard three-day paid leave.

Calvary church Pastor Greg Griego, who also works as a chaplain at the Metropolitan Detention Center, met Owings three years ago while he was serving a two year sentence for carjacking a nurse and doctor.

Police said in August 2007, Owings walked up to a nurse near the emergency room of the University of New Mexico Hospital and told him he would shoot him if he did not give up his car.

The next day, according to police records, Owings badly beat up a Lovelace family physician for his car. Griego said Owings had a rough childhood.

"It was heartbreaking," said Griego. "Mickey was a kid that was basically raised in a meth home."

Griego said when Owings got out of jail a little more than a year ago he worked as a custodian at Calvary and then was let go when he violated his probation for a traffic violation in the beginning of the year.

He said Owings had an interview for a job at a dollar store the day he was shot. The last time Pastor Griego saw Owings was at church Saturday. Griego said he gave him a hug and knew that something was wrong. Two days later Owings was dead. He left behind three children.

"He made bad decisions, there's no question in my mind about that," said Griego. "But I believe this is kind of a tragedy."

There is no word on what charges if any Munoz, who also has a criminal history including prostitution and domestic violence, will face.