APD Arrests Teen After Jewelry Dispute Ends in Shooting

Albuquerque –

Albuquerque Police Department’s Gun Violence Reduction Unit has made an arrest following an investigation into a December 1 shooting that left a man hospitalized with a serious eye injury.

Officers were initially called to Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital around 10:05 PM for a reported gunshot wound. The victim was later transferred to University of New Mexico Hospital, where doctors determined he had been shot in the eye, not the hand as first reported.

According to police, the victim told investigators the incident stemmed from a November 29 gathering/party where a man later identified as Davion Briggs, 18, asked to wear the victim’s gold necklace for a few pictures they were taking with the girls, and never returned the gold chain.

On December 1, the victim was at a house located off Mesilla St SE and Zuni Rd SE, when he saw Briggs outside in a gray Jeep. The victim confronted Briggs, who allegedly still refused to return the victim’s chain and Briggs told the victim he threw the cellphone out of the the Jeep’s window. The victim told police that he had left the cellphone in the vehicle days earlier to charge it after the party.

The complaint states that during their conversation, Briggs is in the driver’s seat of the Jeep, and victim is standing outside talking to Briggs through the front passenger window. The victim reported that as Briggs began driving forward, he walked beside the Jeep’s passenger window. Police say the victim told them Briggs then produced a black handgun and fired once at close range. The victim told APD officers that he “recalled hearing a loud bang and muzzle flash.”

Medical staff at UNMH advised GVRU detectives that the victim is expected to survive. Imaging revealed a metallic object lodged behind the victim’s eye.

The complaint reveals that GVRU investigators later confirmed that Briggs reportedly matched the description of a suspect involved in at least two firearm-related calls from the early morning of November 30th.

On December 3, the victim positively identified Briggs in a photographic lineup.

Briggs has been charged with Aggravated battery (deadly weapon), Shooting at or from a motor vehicle and Negligent use of a deadly weapon (discharge). It’s still unclear whether Briggs could be charged with shooting at or forming a motor vehicle for the other two incidents that occurred on November 30th.

He was booked into MDC on Thursday, December 4th, 2025 at 9:03 PM. For the Pretrial Services
Public Safety Assessment, the assessment “recommended” that Briggs be ROR’d. As of this publication on December 5th, Briggs is still being held at MDC.