Middle Finger Road Rage Leads to Gunfight, One Charged with the Shooting

Albuquerque –

On May 17, 2025, we reported about a shooting incident investigated by the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department that resulted in two individuals being wounded. We are getting more details about that shooting from a criminal complaint and arrest of Rudy Chavez of Albuquerque.

According to the criminal complaint, Bernalillo County deputies responded to a shooting call at a residence near the 1600 block of Gatewood Ave SW. The victim told deputies he had been driving northbound on Isleta Blvd SW with his 10-year-old son when the incident began. He said he passed a vehicle driven by a distracted female motorist who had been swerving. A brief exchange of middle fingers by both drivers ensued.

Moments later, a gold or tan-colored vehicle pulled in front of the victim’s red Chevrolet pickup at a red light. A bald Hispanic male wearing a white shirt exited the gold car and punched the victim through his open window. As the victim reached under his seat for a firearm, the assailant retreated.

Gunfire erupted from the gold vehicle, striking the passenger side of the pickup, where the victim’s son was seated. The victim was then shot in the abdomen by the initial assailant. He returned fire before fleeing to seek medical help.

Chavez was struck by the victim’s gun fire and Deputies learned that a male subject was dropped off at Presbyterian Hospital Downtown Albuquerque with a gunshot injury. Deputies arrived at the hospital and learned from a security guard that the subject who was dropped off was a person matching Chavez’s description. He was transferred to UNMH for more specialized care.

Chavez spent 11 days in the hospital before being released and booked into MDC. He is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and criminal damage to property.