On Oct. 18, an Albuquerque Police Department officer fatally shot 39-year-old Matthew “Solo” Garcia while he was handcuffed in the back of a police car outside the Tewa Lodge.
Officers were “assisting a code enforcement,” during which several people were detained at the Tewa Lodge. The code enforcement was in reference to complaints by business owners and community members about drug use.
In a statement APD Director of Communications Gilbert Gallegos wrote that Matthew Garcia initially hid his identity from police. He had a conviction and arrest warrants, Gallegos wrote.
“When officers determined his identity and attempted to prepare him for transport to jail, it was discovered he had a firearm in his hands,” the statement reads. “As officers tried to wrestle the gun from the man’s hands, officers fired shots.”
The incident is currently under investigation, Gallegos wrote.
“APD’s Internal Affairs Force Division will investigate and analyze the incident to determine whether policies were followed,” the statement reads.