Auto Theft Victim and Suspect Both Charged in Shooting in Foothills

Albuquerque –

Street justice collided with the criminal justice system in a recent Albuquerque shooting. We reported about a shooting that wounded one person on September 2nd, 2025. Officers from the Albuquerque Police Department responded to the area of Parsifal St NE and Buena Ventura Rd NE for a reported car crash. When officers arrived, they found one person who sustained at least one gunshot wound.

Two criminal complaints were filed on this case, with two people being charged, one for the shooting incident and the other for the auto theft of an ATV side-by-side.

The auto theft suspect was the one who was shot and taken to the hospital. A criminal complaint identifies him as Christian Zambrano, 24, of Albuquerque. It says he stole the ATV from Morales Tint LLC located at 1109 San Mateo Blvd NE. According to the complaint 32-year-old Martin Morales Gonzalez of Albuquerque saw the ATV being stolen by Zambrano and went out to the parking lot. Morales Gonzalez got his firearm from his truck and confronted the suspect. Morales Gonzalez fired at the vehicle as it backed into him.

Zambrano took off from the scene and continued eastbound. The family from the tint business found the ATV and Zambrano. They surrounded the ATV and blocked it in while APD was responding to the scene. Officers found the scene and Zambrano had a gunshot wound to his chest.

APD detained Morales Gonzalez and questioned him about the crash and gunshot victim. During the investigation, he said it wasn’t right for people to take advantage of other people. He admitted to firing his gun at the vehicle at his family’s business.

Detectives tried to interview Zambrano, but he was highly under the influence of drugs and could not provide a statement.

Zambrano was charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing, and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.

Morales Gonzalez was charged with shooting at or from a motor vehicle and felony aggravated battery.

Both were booked into MDC and their trials are pending.