Chief: Armored vehicle stalled, suspect escaped

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said a barricaded man was able to escape a SWAT perimeter after their armored vehicle stalled before it could move to block the car.

"Sometimes equipment failures happen at the worst time possible and that's what happened here," Chief Schultz said.

According to the Chief officers were waiting out Christopher Sosa, 20 who was refusing to come out of a home on Shirley NE near Candelaria and Juan Tabo.

News 13 has reported on Sosa's violent history in the past.

"He's used to robbing people, getting his way, being that sort of bullying type offender," Detective Chris Juarez told News 13 in an interview in May.

At the time of the SWAT standoff he was wanted on outstanding warrants for armed robbery and other charges.

Chief Schultz said with dozens of officers including the SWAT team surrounding the house Sosa was holed up in, he made a run for it.

The Chief said Sosa stole the homeowners car which was parked in the garage and bolted.

"There was a plan in place to actually stop a vehicle should a vehicle come into play," said Schultz.

That plan though fell to pieces when the armored vehicle stalled.

"It was moving into position to actually block the vehicle in the driveway of the residence because of where there was a wall, unfortunately as the 'bearcat' was moving into position it had a mechanical failure," The Chief said.

Sosa took off flew around a corner and headed toward an officer who was parked at the end of Los Arboles and Jane Northeast, about 800 feet from the house he was hiding out in.

At that point Schultz said two unmarked cars were following Sosa.

Zach Frankel saw the whole thing.

"At first I thought he was going to bash into the police car and then he drove up on the curb and made a run for it," Frankel said.

Chief Schultz said as Sosa came toward the officer, the officer shot at the car as neighbors stood and watched, the chief could not say how many shots were fired.

Officers do not believe Sosa was hit though and once he drove up on the curb, the unmarked units backed off and let him go.

"Our officers used very good judgment and caution because there were a lot of people out there so we did not drive up over the sidewalk," said Schultz.

As of Tuesday night Sosa was still on the run but officers believe he is still in Albuquerque.

In fact Chief Schultz said he was spotted at a Denny's on Juan Tabo this morning, just a few blocks away from where he had his standoff with police.