Albuquerque –
On Wednesday, the Albuquerque Police Department identified the man who engaged in a shootout with police officers on Tuesday at a North Valley apartment complex.
Jose Armas, 23, was shot by officers around 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday at an apartment in the 1500 block of 8th St. NW. Armas was armed with a handgun as family members and officers attempted to de-escalate the situation.
Armas initially shot at officers around 7:24 p.m. from a second-floor window. He later fired several additional rounds, prompting two officers to return fire. Armas was struck by the gunfire and died at the scene. Officers also used less-lethal, 40mm munitions during the incident to get Armas to comply with commands, but those efforts were not effective.
Last night, APD reported that two officers sustained minor injuries during the incident. According to APD Public Information Officer Gilbert Gallegos, medical personnel were present at the scene to assess the officers’ conditions. No additional information about their injuries was provided.
The Multi-Agency Task Force will continue investigating the incident over the coming months, including interviewing new witnesses and completing forensic tests. Once finished, the case will be sent to the District Attorney’s Office to determine possible criminal charges.
APD’s Internal Affairs Force Division will separately review whether department policies were followed, with findings sent to the Superintendent of Police Reform for disciplinary decisions.
APD’s Force Review Board will also examine the incident to identify trends and recommend any needed policy changes.
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