ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Albuquerque Police Department provided some details in the Dec. 2 officer-involved shooting that took place at the Villa Hermosa Apartments near Coors Blvd. and I-40. APD held a news conference on Tuesday.
The department previously reported that the incident started around 7:30 a.m. when officers were notified of shots fired near the apartment complex. APD states that officers at the scene located shell casings that were determined to be linked to 16-year-old Jesus Lopez and then began to negotiate with the teen, trying to get him to come out from the apartments.
APD released the lapel footage of the shooting on Tuesday from that day. Police say Officer Dillon Sather fired the shot, hitting the 16-year-old. Sather says he knew Lopez was running toward other officers and feared he may shoot them or other people inside the complex.
APD responded to the complex because officers received an alert through ShotSpotter technology showing six gunshots were fired in the area. They zeroed in on the apartment where Lopez was staying and found bullet casings outside the apartment.
Knowing Lopez had a warrant for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon out of Sandoval County, the APD chief says they staged a perimeter and gave commands for Lopez to walk outside. When Lopez came out, police say he took off running toward other officers and that’s when Officer Sather fired three rounds, hitting the teen.
Officer Sather has been with APD for less than a year. He was in training with a fellow officer when the pair responded to the call. APD says that the officer is already back on the job in the same northwest area command. Lopez is still hospitalized but when he’s released he’ll be booked into the juvenile detention center.
No officers were hurt in the incident. APD says it could take months until the investigation is complete. KRQE News 13 asked specifically if Lopez pointed a weapon at officers, police say that is still under investigation.
