Jesus Lopez became the youngest person ever shot by an Albuquerque police officer Thursday morning when the 16-year-old tried to escape while carrying multiple firearms.
The incident took place around 7:30 a.m. at the Villa Hermosa Apartments in the area of Coors Boulevard and I-40 after police received reports from ShotSpotter that gunshots were being fired in the area, according to KRQE. When officers arrived at the scene they said they recovered shell casings that were linked to Lopez, who is wanted in Sandoval County for a gun-related domestic violence incident.
When Lopez was located in an apartment he was known to frequent, he attempted to flee, carrying multiple firearms with him, police said. At least one officer, according to APD, fired a weapon. Lopez was struck and underwent surgery and is reportedly in critical but stable condition.
“The individual choose to open the door, exit the apartment complex, and tried to flee the apartment armed with multiple firearms,” Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said, according to Yahoo. “The individual choose to open the door, exit the apartment complex, and tried to flee the apartment armed with multiple firearms. At this point in time, we know that one officer did discharge their firearm. The individual was struck.”
Lopez was wanted for failing to appear at a pretrial hearing on Nov. 22 in Sandoval County where he is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon against a household member, a third-degree felony.
Lopez, according to Yahoo, “touched or applied force” on Aug. 30 to a household member “with a kitchen knife,” with the intent to injure. Children’s probation services is involved.
