Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An Albuquerque man fatally shot outside his family’s home by a deputy marshal had followed the federal officer in the dark and brandished a weapon twice before the marshal opened fire, state police said Wednesday.
The account from New Mexico State Police investigators comes in contrast to statements from family members of Edgar Camacho-Alvarado who said the 23-year-old was repairing his pickup truck around 3 a.m. Saturday when U.S. marshals entered an Albuquerque trailer park looking for George Bond, a homicide suspect who was on the state’s most wanted list.
Before locating Bond, they confronted Camacho-Alvarado — who state police said in a statement late Wednesday afternoon had started following Deputy U.S. Marshal Paul Hernandez near the trailer park’s entrance. Camacho-Alvarado allegedly brandished his weapon before fleeing to his trailer, which is situated several doors down from the park’s entrance, authorities said.
When Hernandez found Camacho-Alvarado at the front steps of his house, he opened fire after Camacho-Alvarado raised his gun and pointed it at the marshal, state police said. Four shots were fired, and Camacho-Alvarado was fatally struck by a bullet that hit him under his right armpit and stopped near his left shoulder blade.
“Two Deputy U.S. Marshals secured Mr. Camacho-Alvarado by moving him from the steps, handcuffing him, and rendering first aid,” state police said.
In a letter sent to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Albuquerque, a lawyer for Camacho-Alvarado’s mother said witnesses described federal marshals pulling him from the front door of the home as he flailed his arms “unable to respond to law enforcements commands.” They also said Camacho-Alvarado was shot in the back.
Juan Alvarado said his grandson Camacho-Alvarado’s mother rushed out of the home after hearing shots and shouted “don’t shoot” before marshals pushed her away and kept her from her son.
In the days since the shooting, criticisms claiming a lack of information and transparency in the investigation mounted as Camacho-Alvarado’s family said their requests for answers from federal authorities had been stonewalled.
Robert Gorence, the attorney retained by Alvarado’s family, announced the family intended to file a tort claim this week, saying the primary purpose is to get more information from authorities — including why Camacho-Alvarado was shot when authorities were at the trailer park to arrest another man.
Bond, the homicide suspect, was arrested hours after the shooting at a nearby trailer.
The details released by state police late Wednesday signified the first account from law enforcement on the case other than confirming Monday that Camacho-Alvarado had been shot while marshals sought to execute an arrest warrant for someone else.
A handgun was found near Camacho-Alvarado’s body, state police said. A search of his room turned up another handgun and ammunition.
Camacho-Alvarado was convicted of felony larceny in 2013, according to online court records, and state police said he was wanted on a probation warrant when the shooting happened.
The agency is tasked with investigating the shooting, and it said its findings will be handed over to the district attorney once the probe is complete.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press