Albuquerque police officers responding to a crash early Saturday morning in Northeast Albuquerque shot and killed the vehicle’s driver after an officer saw what appeared to be a firearm, authorities said.
Tramway remained shut down between Rover and Menaul as of 9 a.m. Saturday as authorities processed the scene. The Multi-Agency Task Force is investigating the shooting, the Albuquerque Police Department said on social media.
Chief Harold Medina said the incident began a little after 2 a.m. when officers with the Foothills Area Command were dispatched to a crash at Tramway and Rover.
“It was believed that some individuals had driven down the middle of the roadway and had been involved in an accident,” the chief said in a briefing posted on Twitter. “As officers arrived they did find some individuals in the car.”
Medina said one of the occupants appeared to be passed out, adding that officers removed a passenger from the vehicle.
“As they were removing the driver from the vehicle an officer indicated that there possibly was a firearm on scene and shots were fired,” Medina said. He said rescue personnel were called, but the individual died at the scene.
Medina didn’t say whether shots were fired at the officers or how many officers fired on the driver.
This was the eighth person shot and killed by Albuquerque police officers this year. Overall, Albuquerque police have been involved in 16 shootings this year. Last year there were a total of 10 shootings.
Original source found here.
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