Officer in shooting moved to desk duty

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque Police Officer Trey Economidy, who shot and killed an armed suspect two weeks ago, was taken out of the field Tuesday and put on administrative duty.

Police told News 13 they had several reasons for pulling Economidy off the street including a controversial message he posted on his online Facebook page before the shooting.

Sources in the department also said the pistol Economidy used in the deadly shooting was not listed as a qualified gun with the department.

When asked for official comment about that on Tuesday, APD neither confirmed nor denied the information saying it's under investigation.

"What firearm the officer was carrying? If it's authorized? All of the qualifications? All of that information is being looked over, so I have no idea what he was qualified to carry and what he was carrying that night," Sgt. Trish Hoffman said.

Albuquerque police officers are required to be qualified to use their weapon or weapons of choice in the field. They're required to qualify with their service weapons every year for both day and night duty.

The Feb. 9 shooting was already under scrutiny.

Police reported Jacob Mitschelen, 29, was driving near San Pedro Drive and Kathryn SE around 8 p.m. when he was pulled over for suspicious behavior.

Police say Mitschelen got out of his car armed with a gun and tried to run away but fell. He refused to drop his weapon, and that's when Economidy shot him, police said at the time .