Protesters descend on Albuquerque City Hall to decry deadly shootings
Published time: April 08, 2014 03:59
City Council President Ken Sanchez told the Albuquerque Journal that more police officers would be assigned to make sure the meeting was peaceful, and that the meeting would be adjourned if tempers flared, but said the council is mulling legislation that would create more oversight over the department.
“We need to make some dramatic changes,” he said. “We’re confronting a crisis situation at this time.”
Right now: 241 people in council chambers, 100 or more outside, more overflow on 9th floor. #abqcouncil @KOB4 pic.twitter.com/h9NzV65hdQ
— OpAlbuquerque (@OpAlbuquerque) April 8, 2014
Tension have been building between police and the public for years. Wynema and Michael Gonzagowski told Cindy Carcamo of the Los Angeles Times
that, upon moving to Albuquerque, friends warned them to avoid the
police. They did not take those warnings seriously until they watched
police fatally shoot their neighbor, Alfred Lionel Redwine on March 25.“I’ve never been scared of crops, but out here, the cops terrify me,” said Michael, age 39. “They treat you like you’re out looking to cause trouble every time they talk to you.”
Chief Eden said in a press conference that Redwine brandished a weapon and shot at police during a standoff at a public housing complex, forcing the officers to return fire. Wynemda Gonzagowski disagreed, telling the Times that Redwine had surrendered to police with his arms out when he was hit.
“They didn’t warn him, they didn’t tell him to freeze and get on the ground or to put his hand behind his hand,” she said.
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