Gunman told cops his girlfriend hit him

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - A man who shot his way into an Albuquerque solar manufacturing plant this week, targeting his former girlfriend, called Rio Rancho police last year claiming she assaulted and threatened him, according to a 911 call.

Robert Reza, in a 9½-minute call punctuated by bickering between him and girlfriend Adrienne Basciano, told an emergency dispatcher she was mentally unstable. In the background, Basciano disputes that, saying Reza's the one who's unstable.

Officers who arrived at the home in May 2009 stood by while Reza gathered a few things and left, said Rio Rancho police spokesman John Francis. Police did not ask Reza to leave, he said.

Both Reza and Basciano denied any "physical battery" and no police report was made of the call, which is common when there's no crime, Francis said.

Reza, 37, stormed through the Emcore Corp. plant in Albuquerque on Monday, killing two workers and wounding four others, including Basciano, before killing himself. Police found his body in an office where he had shot out a window to enter the plant.

In last year's call, Reza told a dispatcher in the community near Albuquerque, "I'd like to report that my lady, she assaulted me, she hit me, she scratched my arm, she's trying to throw me out of the house. And I don't want to leave my kids here."

In the background, Basciano says, "All right, go."

When the dispatcher asks why she hit him, Reza responds, "She just wants me to leave and I can't leave my kids here." After a short pause, he adds, "I'm going to pack my bags so I can go. But I won't leave my kids here."

The couple's twin sons were 4 at the time.

"You're not taking my kids out of the house," Basciano says in the background.

Ignoring the dispatcher for the moment, Reza tells Basciano she's being violent.

"That's not true," she answers. "You're being violent."

The tape records them squabbling over who pushed whom, then the dispatcher interrupts to ask if Basciano had been drinking or taking drugs.

"I don't think so," Reza says. "She's just unstable."

Basciano says in the background, "You're unstable. You need medication."

Albuquerque police continued Thursday looking into whether Reza had been treated for any mental problems, said department spokeswoman Officer Nadine Hamby.

Reza told the Rio Rancho dispatcher he had gone to a police substation earlier because "I was a little afraid for my life because she threatened me."

"She threatened to hurt me and my family, and I don't know what she meant by that but she's not right. It scared me enough that I called you guys," he says.

Reza told the dispatcher there were guns in the house "but they're not where they're available to her" and "it's not an issue."

Questioned by the dispatcher, Reza said he didn't know if Basciano had any diagnosed mental condition, but he wasn't aware of her taking medication for anything.

When the dispatcher asked if Basciano had a history of hitting him, Reza responded, "Not really, not too much."

Reza said Basciano yelled, slammed a door on his leg and tried to push him before he called.

"And I don't want to touch her," he said. "I'm trying to do the right thing. She threw the phone on the floor. It's not a good situation. Can you please help me?"

The dispatcher told Reza several times to separate himself from Basciano until officers arrived.

Late in the recording, which has several long pauses, Reza can be heard talking to one of his sons until a police car arrives and the call ends.