APD Gives Update on Deadly Shooting at Gas Station that Killed 1, Wounded 3

Albuquerque – APD has identified Anthony Hernandez, 30, as the man who was fatally shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire with police on Monday night at the Speedway Gas Station, located at 2401 San Mateo Blvd., N.E.

Officers working the Northeast Area Command responded Monday night shortly after 6 p.m. to reports of a man, later identified as Hernandez, who was waiving a handgun around and pointing it at a child. Detectives later determined the young girl was Hernandez’s daughter. She was not injured during the incident.

Officers made contact with Hernandez and ordered him to drop his gun as he stood in front of the gas station. At one point Hernandez raised both hands with the gun in his right hand but did not shoot. He then turned to walk away, but instead turned and fired his gun in the direction of officers. The bullet appears to have struck the passenger window of a car that was in the crossfire between him and approaching officers.

At a press briefing, Chief Harold Medina said the gun had an empty magazine.

“The offenders firearm was opened with an empty magazine, but we need to figure exactly what that means.” – Chief Harold Medina

Officers fired back at Hernandez striking him with an undisclosed number of bullets. Hernandez died at the scene as a result of his wounds. A handgun was located near Hernandez and a single bullet casing was underneath his body.

Another man, a 68-year-old male, was also struck by a bullet during the exchange of gunfire. He is expected to survive his wound.

When officers fired toward Hernandez, several rounds struck the same vehicle that Hernandez struck when he fired a shot at police. The driver of that car, a man in his 30s, was struck in his fingers, and the adult female in the passenger’s seat was struck by a bullet in her arm. The man and woman drove away from the scene and later called 911 from a Walgreens at Lomas Blvd. and Carlisle Blvd., N.E. They were transported to UNMH and treated for their wounds.

Investigators with the Multi-Agency Task Force are in the early stages of their investigation into the shooting. They are working to determine which gunshots (police, or the man with empty magazine) injured the man walking with Hernandez and the two people in the car.