The police force of Albuquerque, New Mexico has been involved in a number of shooting incidents and has used other forms of force, many of these involving the use of SWAT teams. The city's police department was the subject of a Department of Justice Investigation in 2014 which found that the department "engages in a pattern or practice of use of excessive force, including deadly force, in violation of the Fourth Amendment". The report also stated that the department suffered from "structural and systemic deficiencies-including insufficient oversight, inadequate training, and ineffective policies". As of 2025, New Mexico had the second highest rate per capita of killings by police officers, after Alaska. Additionally, a 2021 study by the Lancet medical journal found that official statistics under-reported Albuquerque police killings from 1980-2018, with approximately 26.4% of deaths having been misclassified.
Incidents of police shootings
Pre-2010 Date Officer name(s) Civilian name(s) Outcome Notes Officer OutcomeSeptember 22, 2004Sean WallaceLeo LopezLopez killedshot during traffic stop after officer feared vehicle threat during heroin investigationAcquitted Russell CarterJay Martin MurphyMurphy killed barricaded self in home Jay Murphy Jr., 19, tried to calm police downBrandon CarrRoderick JonesJones killedCarr fired 18 months later
2010 Date Officer name(s) Civilian name(s) Outcome Notes Officer Outcome Andrew Cooke Aaron Renfro Renfro killed passenger in car stopped for speedingCooke cleared by grand jury Brett Lampiris-Tremba, Sean Wallace also present Kenneth Ellis III Ellis killed Ellis holding gun to his own headJudge in civil suit ruled Ellis' rights violated Brett Lampiris-Tremba sued APD for promotion and back pay Family awarded $7.95 million settlement Sean Wallace Wayne Cordova Cordova killed Cordova suspected of fleeing after possibly stealing a car Wallace now a K-9 officer who works with SWAT Wallace later shot Alan Gomez the District Attorney ruled this a justifiable homicide Roger Legendre Jose Castillo,Tanya Martinez,Raymond CarilloCastillo charged with assaulting a police officer Police shot at car after beer shoplifting incident, Giant gas station, Coors, and QuailCastillo driving Legendre was later promoted to sergeant Kevin Sanchez Mickey Owings Owings killed Sanchez shot at moving vehicle in Walmart parking lot, I-40 and QuailPregnant female in Owings vehicle unharmed40+ witnesses *The city's independent review officer ruled the shooting was justifiedThe DoJ used this shooting as an example of "Albuquerque police officers' own recklessness" leading to use of violenceWrongful death lawsuit filed Zach Stephenson Benjamin Marquez Marquez shot 3-4 times in upper body Marquez smoking a cigarette while pumping gas at Broadway and Gibson Eric Brown,Anthony Sedler Chris HinzNortheast Heights near Juan Tabo Boulevard and Spain Avenue Hinz killed Hinz intoxicated at home. Police said he was firing his weapon inside his home Sedler later shoots Parrish Dennison Aaron Zwicky Julian Calbert Calbert killed Calbert had kidnapped two women One called 911 from Calbert's car trunk A grand jury found the shooting justified Jeremy Hollier,Anthony Glodon Len Fuentes, a diagnosed schizophrenic, was reportedly unable to access treatment Fuentes killed3400 block Crest SE domestic violence call Hollier arrested in 2012 for felony domestic violence, still with APD Josh Brown Enrique Carrasco Carrasco shot at Montgomery and San Mateo after slashing his girlfriend's tires Carrasco jumped on Brown's hood and repeatedly stabbed officer's driver-side window with a knife and broke it, then tried to open the door, said Public Safety Director Darren White Leah Kelly Chandler Barr Barr hospitalized, survived being shot, 2nd and Central Police called because Barr was cutting his arm with a "butter knife" Kelly was smoking a cigar as she pulled trigger Barr filed suit for $340,000 in medical bills and pain and suffering A federal jury found no liability. Drew Bader,Ramon Ornelas Daniel Gonzales Tucumcari police asked NM State Police for help, State Police call in Albuquerque SWAT Gonzales came to door with two rifles APD SWAT officers cleared David Sprague Alexei Sinkevitch6500 block of Tierra Prieta NW Sinkevitch had rifle, and bled to death on floor of his home 911 reports of hit-and-runs on Estrella Brillante NWCallers took platePolice traced to Sinkevitch Brian Pitzer, Doug Moore Russell Tenorio1400 block Alamo SE Tenorio survived, in hospital 2½ months, lost a kidney. Tenorio had fetal alcohol symptom, was threatening to hurt himself Pitzer announced he was "going lethal" before entering the home, resulted in a federal lawsuit
2011 Date Officer name(s) Civilian name(s) Outcome Notes Officer Outcome Byron "Trey" Economidy (Detective) Jacob Mitschelen Mitschelen killed traffic stop wrongful death lawsuit settled for $300,000Christopher J. BrownChristopher TorresTorres shot in his parents' back yardfather says police used a battering ram to enter the house even though he was present and offered to let them inJury award over $10 million, later settled for $6 millionSean WallaceAlan GomezGomez killed while holding spoon. Wrongful death suit settled in December 2013 for $900,000"the officer shot Gomez without verifying a threat, and after receiving information that Gomez could not have been a threat because he was no longer armed."Earlier wrongful death suit settled for $235,000. Wallace first shot a civilian on September 22, 2004, in Chimayó when he was an NMSP narcotics agent; tort claim notice filed late December 2004 Shot and killed second civilian January 29, 2010.Troy Nikko, William Thomas, Michael OatesRaymond GarciaGarcia killed Lomas and PalomasGarcia caught carjacking, officers pinned his car in near a chainlink fence in front of Cross Country Auto SalesDamian LujanOrlando PaisanoPaisano tased, shot eight times, Bell and Dallas SEPaisano holding bayonet, police sayJim PerdueMichael MarquezMarquez shot in field, 60th and CentralMichael Marquez an armed robbery suspectDistrict Attorney ruled shooting justified First shooting under new system
2012 Date Officer name(s) Civilian name(s) Outcome Notes Officer Outcome Mario Perez Mark Macoldowna,James Kellogg,Kymberly Bates Macoldowna killed, Bates and Kellogg arrested armed robbery of St. Pius X complexMartin SmithDaniel TillisonMarquette and TexasTillison killedwrongful death lawsuit alleges Smith was diagnosed with PTSD and APD knew of itDA found no probable cause for chargesRuss CarterGary AtencioAtencio shot on Laguna Pueblo after pursuitCarter's 3rd shootingwrongful death lawsuit dismissedMike HillDennis AragonAragon shot three times but was expected to survivepolice say Aragon fired shots in the air then pointed rifle at policeJason Peck (APD sgt)Dominick Solis-MoraSolis-Mora shot in stomach then recoveredSolis-Mora said to sell $240 worth of meth to undercover PeckDA and APD Internal Affairs clear Peck of wrongdoingSolis-Mara subsequently involved a number of other criminal incidents
2013 Date Officer name(s) Civilian name(s) Outcome Notes Officer Outcome Perdue,Sedler and Aragon Parrish Dennison Dennison killed Menaul and Louisiana Dennison driver of woman trying to sell stolen banjo Sedler had previously shot Chris HinzSedler cleared of wrongdoingAPDKendall Caroll13000 block Constitutionkilled by State Police,APD also firedCarroll had previously shot and wounded a police officerJeff Bludworth,Katherine WrightVincent Woodconvenience store Montgomery and San Mateopreviously transported to mental health facilityShooting ruled justifiedWrongful death lawsuit settled for $55,000Officer Luke McPeekand othersChristopher ChaseChase killedChase had "cop killer" tattooed on his knucklesaward ceremonyBrian PitzerJoaquin Ortega shot Jefferson and CentralOrtega hospitalized then jailed on charges of robbery and carjackingProsecutors found no probable cause to charge PitzerPitzer involved in two prior shootings, neither fatalPeter RomeroRobert Garcia Sr.Garcia shot but survived, received 3-year sentenceTraffic stop, San MateoCarlisleGarcia had rifle, had been drinkingLater admitted he was attempting suicide by copGarcia apologized to RomeroLuke McPeek,David Munozand Jim EdisonShane SherrillSherrill had felony warrants,holding brake padNo charges filed against policeHector Marquez,Nathan Cadroy-CroteauAndy SniderSnider killedSnider said to charge officers with hammerWrongful death lawsuit filed 2015Both officers still on active duty
2014 Date Officer name(s) Civilian name(s) Outcome Notes Officer Outcome Russell Carter (Detective, Sedler and Ornelas also present Jeremy Robertson's tires, Walgreens in Rio Rancho Robertson uninjuredRobertson charged with fleeing, assaulting officer/ Robertson wanted for parole violations Both Sedler and Ornelas on SWAT teamSedler's 2nd shooting, Ornelas' 3rdKeith Sandy (Detective),Officer Dominique PerezJames BoydBoyd killedcamping without a permitdisplaying knife to officers who tried to frisk himBoth charged with open count of murder. Boyd's family awarded $5 million settlement.James EichelAlfred RedwineRedwine killedRedwine was upset because he had just lost custody of his 5-year-old sonJeremy DearMary HawkesHawkes killedHawkes suspected of having been in a stolen car.Car's owner later told police Hawkes had dated his room-matePolice claim 5 body cameras malfunctioned Dear fired for repeatedly not turning on his camera, particularly in use of force incidents. Dear appeals firing and is reinstated. City appeals his reinstatement. Family files wrongful death lawsuit.Daniel HughesArmand MartinMartin killed in his Ventana Ranch homeMartin suffered from depression, "just went crazy," wife said. Martin ran out of his home while discharging his handgun.DA and APD Internal Affairs clear Hughes of wrongdoingRyan Graves,Brian FuchsRalph ChavezChavez killed, 2nd at I-40Chavez suspected of rape Fuch's camera not on Graves' blocked by uniform, but did record audio Chavez said to pull knife, advance on officersDA declined to press charges
2015 Date Officer name(s) Civilian name(s) Outcome Notes Officer Outcome Greg Brachle Jacob Grant (APD detective) Friendly fire incident, Jacob was working undercover and the other cops thought that he was a criminal. The criminal complaint describes a meth purchase. Charges were filed against Damian Bailey and Edmond Vester for trafficking cocaine, and conspiracy to commit trafficking Officer Brachle's 2nd shootingGrant will need medical for the rest of his life,settled lawsuit for $6.5 million and medical expenses police oversight board recommended firing but Brachle had already retired"APD said since that shooting, the department has improved supervision, training and equipment for undercover officers. In addition, it is now mandatory to attend all briefings before each operation.
2016 Date Officer name(s) Civilian name(s) Outcome Notes Officer Outcome unknown Dennis Humphrey Humphrey shot in his garageMorningside and Goodrich 911 call reported he was drunk and walking around outside his house with a rifle
2018 In 2018, there were 10 officer-involved shootings in Albuquerque, 7 of which were fatal.
2019 In 2019, there were 8 officer-involved shootings in Albuquerque, 4 of which were fatal.