APD lieutenant who shot undercover officer in botched drug bust files for retirement

The Albuquerque Police Department lieutenant accused of shooting his own undercover officer in a botched drug bust in January 2015 filed for retirement Monday.

APD spokeswoman Celina Espinoza confirmed to KOB Lt. Greg Brachle purchased PERA retirement fund time and filed for retirement.

Brachle shot undercover officer Jacob Grant nine times in January while Grant was working an undercover drug operation outside a McDonald’s on Central near Tramway.

Grant filed a lawsuit against Brachle, the city and police department last August claiming Brachle kept shooting as Grant says he crawled away from the scene and asked the shooting to stop.

Grant suffered “catastrophic injuries as a result of the shooting and almost tragically died.”

He lost “approximately 80 percent of his blood,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit puts much of the blame on Lieutenant Greg Brachle.

It says Brachle and Grant had a two-year working relationship and that Grant was visible the day of the operation and at the time of the shooting, saying he was not wearing anything to cover his body or face.

Yet at a distance of less than 5 feet, he opened fire on Detective Grant.

Court filings state Lt. Brachle shot detective Jacob Grant eight times with his personal, .45-caliber handgun that was loaded with “copper-jacketed hollow point bullets.”

The case says Brachle shot twice, then “repositioned himself.” Grant pleaded with Brachle to “please stop shooting,” according to the lawsuit.

Brachle then shot seven more times, emptying his weapon.

Grant’s lawsuit says Brachle, a firearms instructor, violated basic firearms safety rules that day – using lethal force in a very public place and shooting before truly knowing the target.

The case also claims Brachle had a history of erratic, problematic, or otherwise unpredictable or questionable behavior and had been disciplined before.

Brachle had been on desk duty since the shooting. He denied having missed a briefing before the operation that Grant’s lawsuit says he missed.

The city said it “is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the allegations” Brachle missed the meeting.

Brachle’s response also denied all the portions of Grant’s suitthat Brachle “took an active and aggressive role in the operation,” including a part that says Brachle never gave any commands when opening the car’s door and instead opened fire on Grant from “less than 5 feet.”

Brachle also denies having repositioned himself to continue shooting Grant seven more times after Grant was already shot twice, which is what Grant’s lawsuit alleged.

The director of the Civilian Police Oversight Agency recommended last month that Brachle be fired.

It was to be up to APD Chief Gorden Eden as to whether or not to fire Brachle, but he ultimately did not have to make that decision.

He issued the following statement Thursday about Brachle’s retirement:

“Allowing the Civilian Police Oversight Agency and Police Oversight Board to review cases and make recommendations is an important part of this process and adds transparency and independent input.”