Albuquerque Police Share New Details on July 4 Officer-Involved Shooting

Details of the Officer-Involved Shooting in Albuquerque

Albuquerque Police Department has shared new information regarding an officer-involved shooting that occurred on the west side of the city earlier this month. According to APD, a 21-year-old man named Jerry Baldonado was critically injured by an officer after he pointed what appeared to be a firearm at law enforcement.

The incident took place on July 4th around 12:20 p.m., when officers were called to a home located in the 2100 block of South Branch Drive SW. The call came from Baldonado himself, who requested assistance with a family dispute. During the call, he struggled to communicate with the person answering the 911 call. He mentioned that his brother was yelling at him and even stated that his brother had a gun the day before. However, he did not provide any further details when asked.

When officers arrived at the scene at 12:35 p.m., Officer Dominic Sanchez approached the front door and announced his presence twice. According to APD, Baldonado suddenly opened the door with his left hand and held what appeared to be a handgun in his right hand, pointing it at Officer Sanchez.

In response, Officer Sanchez stepped back and took cover behind a stucco pillar while shouting for Baldonado to drop the weapon. As Baldonado continued to point the apparent handgun at the officer, Sanchez drew his own firearm and ducked on either side of the pillar. Baldonado then switched the gun to his left hand and extended it toward Officer Sanchez. Sanchez gave one final warning to put the gun down or face being shot. As he moved to the left of the pillar, Baldonado had the gun directly aimed at him. Officer Sanchez then fired three shots, striking Baldonado, who collapsed to the ground.

Emergency medical services were quickly on the scene, and Baldonado was taken to a local hospital where he received treatment for his injuries. He is currently recovering from the incident. Investigators have since found an airsoft BB gun that was designed to look like a large handgun.

APD has confirmed that the shooting will remain under investigation for several months. Any new witnesses will be interviewed by detectives, and a multi-agency task force will forward the case to the District Attorney’s Office for potential criminal charges. Additionally, the incident is being reviewed by APD’s Internal Affairs Force Division to ensure that department policies were followed. The results of the administrative investigation will be sent to the city’s Superintendent of Police Reform for final decisions on any disciplinary actions. A Force Review Board composed of deputy chiefs will also examine the incident to identify any trends and determine if policy changes are necessary.

Officer Sanchez, who has been with the department since 2014, has no prior history of involvement in officer-involved shootings. His actions during this incident are being closely examined as part of the ongoing investigation.