NMSP report: Man killed pointed gun at marshal before he was shot

ALBUQUERQUE, NM — New Mexico State Police on Wednesday gave an updated account of the shooting by U.S. Marshals over the weekend that left a man dead whose family says was an innocent bystander.

The update from state police Wednesday says 23-year-old Edgar Camacho-Alvarado, the man shot and killed, was following a deputy U.S. Marshal near the entrance of the trailer park, where Marshals were looking for fugitive George Bond.

State police wrote in their update that the deputy marshal tried to talk to Camacho-Alvarado, who allegedly pulled out a gun and fled.

The state police report says the deputy marshal followed Camacho-Alvarado to near the steps of Trailer No. 26.

At that point, state police say Camacho-Alvarado pointed his alleged gun at the deputy marshal, who fired four times at Camacho-Alvarado.

Camacho-Alvarado was hit once. State police say the autopsy shows he was hit under his right armpit in the front of his body and that the bullet traveled back toward the bottom of his left shoulder.

State police wrote that other deputies went to the area, moved Camacho-Alvarado from the steps, handcuffed him and rendered aid.

State police said marshals found a .9mm handgun near Camacho-Alvarado’s body, which they put into a marshal’s vehicle.

Marshals then went into the trailer and searched it, though state police say marshals did not search Camacho-Alvarado’s room because it was locked.

State police write that marshals ordered the entire trailer park to shelter in place while they searched for Bond after the shooting. He and six others were eventually arrested. NMSP, Albuquerque Police Department officers and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies were all called in to assist after the shooting of Camacho-Alvarado, state police said.

State police said that its investigations bureau at some time obtained and executed a search warrant at Trailer No. 26, where Camacho-Alvarado lived.

They said that inside the trailer, they found a .380 caliber handgun without a serial number, a .380 magazine, empty rifle magazines and a loaded .9mm magazine “consistent with the weapon” found on Camacho-Alvarado’s body.

Camacho-Alvarado had had a felony warrant out for his arrest since Oct. 2014 after he violated probation by failing a drug test. He was convicted in 2013 of larceny over $2,500, tampering with evidence and possession of burglary tools.

The marshal who shot Camacho-Alvarado is Deputy U.S. Marshal Paul Hernandez, a 12-year veteran of the marshals.

State police say information and evidence is still being gathered. None of the state police report can be independently corroborated by KOB thus far because of rules that allow marshals and other law enforcement officers participating in marshals warrant services not to wear body cameras or release information from federal investigations.

Camacho-Alvarado’s family has also claimed he was shot at Trailer No. 23, while he was working on his truck, which differs from the state police report.

Camacho-Alvarado’s family intends to sue the federal government for his death, Albuquerque lawyer Bob Gorence said Tuesday. Gorence also claimed Camacho-Alvarado was shot “execution style.”

Posted on: February 24, 2016Blair Miller