By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Four Albuquerque Police Department officers discharged weapons July 3 during a downtown altercation that resulted in the death of suspect Stephen Griego, 41, who had fired a stolen handgun at two men.
- Griego reportedly posted a social media video on June 20 after being pepper-sprayed, stating he would be armed for future confrontations; weeks later he obtained a gun and shot two men during a dispute near Central and Third.
- Officers Preston Harris, Jed Jeffries, Diana Magallanes, and Sgt. Ralph Rodriguez fired 16 rounds combined, with six rounds striking Griego; none of the four officers had been involved in prior shootings.
- The two men shot by Griego sustained non-life-threatening injuries; a bystander one block away was struck in the hip by a stray bullet, preliminary evidence suggesting the round came from an officer’s firearm.
- An administrative investigation is underway to determine if officers followed departmental policies; findings and ballistics analysis will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for review.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Albuquerque Police Department officers discharged weapons on July 3 during a downtown altercation in which a man armed with a stolen handgun fired at two individuals before being fatally shot by responding officers.
Stephen Griego, 41, had been assaulted and pepper-sprayed on June 20 in Downtown Albuquerque. Following that incident, Griego posted a video to his social media account stating that he would be armed and prepared in the event of future confrontation. The video was characterized by police as suggesting Griego was ready for confrontation.
On July 3, just before midnight, Griego became involved in an altercation with two men near Central and Third. The circumstances that initiated the dispute remain unclear to investigators, and the relationship between Griego and the two men is unknown.
One of the men, wearing a white T-shirt, attempted to shove Griego, who was holding a scooter. Griego jumped back and removed a handgun from his waistband. Police stated that Griego had stolen the gun from a friend without the friend’s knowledge.
Griego discharged two rounds from the firearm. The first round struck the man in the white T-shirt; the second round struck the other man. Both shooting victims were transported to the hospital with injuries determined to be non-life-threatening.
Officers stationed nearby on Central Avenue heard the gunfire and ran toward the incident, shouting “Police, stop” as a gunshot could be heard on lapel video footage.
Four officers—Preston Harris, Jed Jeffries, Diana Magallanes, and Sgt. Ralph Rodriguez—opened fire. Police Chief Cecily Barker stated the officers discharged 16 rounds combined, with six rounds striking Griego.
Griego was transported to the hospital where he died of injuries sustained during the shooting. None of the four officers had been involved in a prior officer-involved shooting.
A bystander located one block away near Central and Second was struck in the hip by a stray bullet. Preliminary evidence suggests the round originated from an officer’s firearm, though the ballistics source cannot be definitively confirmed until ballistics analysis is completed.
A vehicle was also struck by a bullet during the incident; the source of that round remains unclear.
Police stated that Griego, who was in handcuffs and severely wounded, told officers he was acting in self-defense before being transported to the hospital. Police noted that neither of the two men Griego shot was armed with a firearm.
Police Department spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos stated that an administrative investigation is underway to determine if officers followed department policies. Barker stated that all facts will be compiled and forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for additional review.
This year, Albuquerque police have shot seven people, with five shootings resulting in fatalities.