WE NOW KNOW MORE ABOUT SATURDAY'S SHOOTOUT IN ALBUQUERQUE THAT LEFT A SUSPECT DEAD AND AN ALBUQUERQUE POLICE OFFICER AND A SHERIFFS DEPUTY STILL HOSPITALIZED. APD CHIEF ALLEN BANKS SAYS THE SHOOTER IS IDENTIFIED AS 35-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER CHASE OF ALBUQUERQUE. CHASE STARTED FIRING AT OFFICERS AFTER THEY WERE CALLED TO AVENIDA CESAR CHAVEZ AND BROADWAY AROUND 11:20 SATURDAY MORNING. BANKS SAYS CHASE WAS WEARING CAMO, BODY ARMOR AND A BLACK MASK, AND WAS WIELDING AN ASSAULT RIFLE.
CHIEF BANKS SAYS CHASE HAD BEEN IN TROUBLE BEFORE. HIS CRIMINAL HISTORY RANGES FROM MISDEMEANOR TO FELONY CHARGES, INCLUDING EMBEZZLEMENT, FRAUD, AND TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. BANKS SAYS CHASE ALSO HAD A TATTOO THAT READS "COP KILLER." HE SAYS THE SUSPECT LIVED IN THE 800 BLOCK OF WALTER SOUTHEAST AND WANTED TO MAKE IT LOOK AS IF THE HOME HAD BEEN BOOBY-TRAPPED, BUT BANKS SAYS IT WASN'T.
BANKS SAYS AFTER FIRING ON OFFICERS, CHASE STOLE A POLICE CAR AND HEADED NORTH. AS HE DROVE NORTH ON BROADWAY, HE FIRED ON OFFICERS AT COAL AND BROADWAY, CENTRAL AND BROADWAY, AND MARTIN LUTHER KING AND BROADWAY.
CHIEF BANKS SAYS IT APPEARS CHASE ACTED ALONE. APD IS LOOKING INTO HIS BACKGROUND NOW TO DETERMINE WHAT HIS MOTIVES WERE. BUT AT THIS POINT, IT APPEARS TO BE JUST ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO TARGET OFFICERS AND DEPUTIES.
THE POLICE PURSUIT FINALLY ENDED WHEN CHASE CRASHED THE POLICE CAR AT A PHILLIPS 66 STATION AT 4TH AND MONTANO NORTHWEST. CHASE WAS KILLED, AND BANKS SAYS THE OMI WILL DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEATH. THREE APD OFFICERS WERE WOUNDED, AND ONE REMAINS HOSPITALIZED. HE SAYS ALL WERE HIT IN THE LOWER EXTREMITIES. THEIR NAMES ARE NOT BEING RELEASED.
THE SHERIFFS DEPUTY WHO WAS WOUNDED IS IDENTIFIED AS 45 YEAR OLD ROBIN HOPKINS, A FORMER MARINE WHO'S BEEN WITH BCSO SINCE 1998. SHE REMAINS HOSPITALIZED IN INTENSIVE CARE WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE LEG.
MORE INFORMATION ON SATURDAY'S INCIDENT WILL BE RELEASED IN THE COMING DAYS.
