APD improves tactics after shooting

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - It was July 12, 2010 and some recent training kicked in immediately for the first Albuquerque police officers on scene.

After the first 911 call went out, nine police officers led by Lt. Scott Lopez formed a team and ran a quarter of a mile to the Emcore office at the southern most end of Eubank.

"July 12 last year was a very sad day for Albuquerque, the citizens, and the employees at Emcore,” Lt. Lopez said. ”It was a very proud day for me, because when it came down to it the eight officers I called on to go in that building went in without hesitation."

A mentally ill Robert Reza had shown up at his former workplace and targeted his ex-girlfriend and mother of his children.

“To see employees shot, to see them killed in the place of work, is just unbelievable,” said Emcore’s Human Resources Director Silvia Gentile.

Four people were wounded. Sharon Cunningham and Michele Turner were murdered before Reza took his own life.

The active shooter team had one day of training in preparation for an event like the workplace shooting.

“We do a six or eight hour course where you actually go through a building and practice your active shooter, it's a scenario where you practice your active shooter so probably one class room portion and then a hands on portion," Lt. Lopez said.

Now, Lopez teachers a portion of the active shooter training from what was learned during the Emcore situation.

"Given the circumstances we were given that day we did the best we could. The police department always reevaluates after every incident,” Lt. Lopez said. “It went as planned."