Bad blood existed between two co-workers before one of them fatally shot the other this week, in what was initially described as a road rage incident. Previous issues may have sparked the deadly brawl.
Karl Rougemont pulled out a gun and shot Christopher Vigil after the two got out of their respective cars and started fighting. The incident occurred on St. Michael’s Dr. near Cerrillos Rd., KRQE reported.
Both men worked for the Santa Fe Public Utilities Department, according to court records and the city's website. Rougemont, 31, was a collections specialist, and Vigil, 40, was an automated meter technician.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, an unnamed union leader said the two men had been having issues for at least nine months. He said the men's supervisors and the city’s human resources director were aware of the tension between them.
Rougemont is being held in the Santa Fe County jail on a murder charge. He was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
Witnesses saw two men driving west on St. Michaels Dr.; they both stopped, exited their vehicles, and started fighting, KRQE said.
With a search warrant affidavit, police obtained cellphone videos from bystanders. They showed Vigil on top of Rougemont, striking him with his fist, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. “Rougemont drew a firearm from concealment and fired approximately five times. Vigil was shot at least once and Rougemont was able to get up and walk backwards to his vehicle,” the newspaper said.
Police were called to the scene; then, emergency medical personnel transported Vigil to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. He was pronounced dead there.
“This is a horrible tragedy,” John Blair, city manager, said in a statement on Tuesday. “The State Police are conducting an investigation into the events that led up to the shooting and we will await their findings.”
