Albuquerque –
Around 9:40 PM on November 9, 2024, Southeast officers from the Albuquerque Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at 429 Vermont St NE. Initial reports indicated a male in a neighboring yard was asking for someone to call 911, and he was last seen walking north on Vermont St. Another call soon came in reporting a male had come to the caller’s house, saying he had been shot. The man told authorities someone in a silver Dodge Charger had shot him. Yesterday, we were reporting to you about this shooting as it was unfolding.
Upon arrival, officers located the injured man at 509 Vermont St NE. He had sustained a single gunshot wound to his abdomen. Paramedics transported him to the hospital, where doctors purportedly listed him in stable condition. APD officers gathered limited information before he went into surgery, which prevented further questioning.
Preliminary investigation suggested the incident occurred closer to Vermont St and Copper Ave NE. Officers also noted a ShotSpotter activation at 400 Vermont St NE, indicating seven shots fired approximately 10 minutes before the initial call. While checking the 400 Vermont St NE area, officers observed a male, later identified as Anthony Lovato, age 24, in the driver’s seat of a silver Nissan, which was registered to him.
Upon contacting Lovato, officers observed a casing, as well as what appeared to be blood and an unfired round leading to the door of 400 Vermont St NE. Officers made several announcements at the residence but received no response, leading them to enter and conduct a protective sweep to ensure no one else was injured. No other individuals were found to have been shot inside of the residence. Police found multiple casings in front of 400 Vermont St NE, where the ShotSpotter indicated shots had been fired.
An APD officer spoke with a witness at the scene. She recounted that she and her male friend were walking north on Vermont St when a vehicle driving erratically nearly struck her. Her friend managed to pull her out of harm’s way. The vehicle then pulled into a nearby driveway, and several individuals exited. She pointed out the location as 400 Vermont St NE, identifying it as the corner house on the east side of the street.
The witness reported that after parking, the driver exited and began arguing with her and her male friend. She noted that the driver appeared intoxicated and tried to instigate a fight with her friend, but he declined to engage. Despite her and her friend’s efforts to avoid confrontation, the driver’s girlfriend also intervened, urging Lovato to calm down. After her friend refused to fight, the driver (Lovato) went inside, and the two witnesses began to leave the area. Moments later, the driver returned with a firearm and fired multiple rounds at them, striking her friend. The two ran to seek help, eventually arriving at 509 Vermont St NE. She also stated that after the shooting, the male got back in his vehicle, circled the block, and then returned to the residence, where officers later detained him.
The witness was then transported by officers to the location where Lovato was detained and positively identified him as the shooter.
After being positively identified, an APD officer approached Lovato, who was being held in the back of a marked patrol car, and advised him of his Miranda rights. He initially expressed willingness to speak but then declined, stating he had done nothing wrong. Lovato was booked into MDC on November 10 at 7:47 AM.
At the time of this posting, the current condition of the victim who was shot remains unknown.
You can read our initial coverage of this shooting here: https://abqraw.com/post/shooting-leaves-one-wounded-in-war-zone-of-abq/
MDC Booking Info: https://viaintfacep2.bernco.gov/custodylist/Detail/22108233540130