Albuquerque Police On Video Shooting Two Suspects In The Back [Video]

The Albuquerque Police Department, already facing an imminent imposition of Federal oversight for its record of police brutality, has done it again. This time two officers were caught on video shooting a homeless man in the back. The homeless man died at the scene.

Most recently the Albuquerque police department had a run in with James Boyd, a mentally disturbed homeless man who was attempting to camp out in the foothills at the top of the city. The police showed up and told the man he had to leave and wasn’t allowed to sleep there. An argument ensued and the police shot and killed him. The police claim it was because he had a knife at the site. No one really bought that and even the U.S. Department of Justice blamed the police department for poor training. The medical examiner who examined Boyd’s body said that he was shot in the back and ruled his death a homicide.

The department said in their report:

“We find that the department engages in a pattern or practice of using excessive force during the course of arrests and other detentions in violation of the Fourth Amendment.”

A federal judge awarded the family of Christopher Torres, a young Albuquerque man who was also shot in the back by police officers, $6 million dollars , ruling that the police testimony was “not credible.” Torres’ parents testified at his trial and said the report that Torres was armed was ridiculous, as he had been holding a broom stick at the time and had dropped it when told to by officers.

Below is a report on the pattern of police brutality that has struck deep into the heart of the Albuquerque Police Department, including footage of the most recent shooting of two unarmed suspects in the back.