Albuquerque rattled by latest deadly police shooting

Less than two weeks after federal officials rebuked the Albuquerque Police Department for a rash of unjustified officer-involved shootings, an officer fatally shot a 19-year-old woman suspected of stealing a vehicle and pointing a gun at police, authorities said.

Mary Hawkes became the first person to be killed by Albuquerque police since the U.S. Justice Department released a scathing report that called for a systematic change to address what it said was a long-ingrained culture of deadly force within the Police Department.

Soon after Monday’s shooting, Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden Jr. made a televised statement, stating that an officer fired at Hawkes, who had led police on a foot chase.

“The suspect stopped, turned and pointed a handgun at close range,� Eden said.

Hawkes had a criminal record, including shoplifting and drinking in public, according to court records.

The shooting has sparked protests and a candlelight vigil. It’s the latest in a series of protests — one of which turned violent last month — targeting the Albuquerque force. Since 2010, officers have shot 37 people, 23 of them fatally. The shootings prompted the Justice Department to open its investigation.

The federal recommendations come after a string of deadly officer-involved shootings, including the March 16 killing of a homeless and mentally ill man, James “Abba� Boyd, who was illegally camping in the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque. Boyd had been acting erratically, according to police, and got into an argument with officers before he was shot.

A video of that shooting surfaced last month, touching off more protests and unrest and prompting calls for better police training, especially on how to deal with the mentally ill.

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