ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – A SWAT standoff on a busy stretch of I‑40 shut down traffic for hours Tuesday night and ended with Albuquerque police shooting and killing the suspect involved. Authorities identified the man as 51‑year‑old Roman Kirby, who had a criminal history dating back decades.
According to Albuquerque Police, the incident began Tuesday afternoon when officers received reports of a reckless driver who sideswiped a vehicle on I‑40 near Eubank Boulevard. Investigators say Kirby stopped, got out of his vehicle, and went into a nearby arroyo while armed with a gun.
Police say that during the standoff, Kirby fired at a police drone. Interim Police Chief Cecily Barker described the encounter as “a very, very violent situation.”
APD says crisis negotiators attempted 99 phone calls, managing to speak with Kirby for about 29 minutes. According to officials, he did not follow commands to put down the weapon. Officers deployed several less‑than‑lethal options, but police say those efforts were unsuccessful.
At some point during the confrontation, at least one officer opened fire, killing Kirby. No officers were injured.
Police have not released additional details about what led to the moment shots were fired. Records show Kirby had an extensive criminal past, including a 2012 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm after shooting his father. He had been released from prison in October.
Barker noted that Kirby “should not have had a firearm,” pointing to his history of aggravated assault on a police officer, multiple firearm‑related convictions, trafficking charges, and the prior shooting involving his father.
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.
