APD releases details of March homicide and officer-involved shooting
May 27, 2022
ALBUQUERQUE – The Albuquerque Police Department released details today of an officer-involved shooting in March that followed a murder at a nearby motel.
SUMMARY OF INCIDENT
Date of Incident: March 29, 2022
Location: 1520 Candelaria Rd NE
Officers were flagged down at 3:12 a.m. at the Ambassador Inn hotel, located at 1520 Candelaria Rd., N.E., where they found security guard Heath Mora with multiple gunshot wounds. The officers observed motel surveillance video of an individual, later identified as Donovan Bookout, enter the motel and immediately discharge a handgun at Mora.
A short time later, officers observed Bookout carjack a male subject driving a pickup in front of 800 Candelaria Rd. N.E., just west of the Ambassador Inn. Bookout drove the stolen truck east on Candelaria Rd. and collided with two police vehicles in the area of Pan American and Candelaria Rd.
Bookout drove west on Candelaria, and his truck appeared to stall. Officers gave commands for Bookout to exit the truck with his hands up. Bookout drove the truck into a nearby parking lot at 715 Candelaria Rd.
Bookout exited the truck, turned toward officers as they pulled behind him, and fired his weapon at officers. He fled northbound on foot through a parking lot, stopped a second time, and fired his weapon again at officers. Two officers discharged their firearms.
Bookout dropped his firearm and fell to the ground. Officers were able to take Bookout into custody. He was not injured. A silver colored handgun was located near Bookout.
Subject: Donovan Bookout, 44
Involved Officers:
- Justin Collins, who has been with the department since 2018, has not been involved in prior officer-involved shootings.
- Andrew Herpolsheimer, who has been with the department since 2009, has not been involved in a prior officer-involved shooting with APD.
Over the next several months, APD will continue to investigate and analyze this incident. Detectives will continue interviewing any new witnesses that come forward and complete any forensic tests. After the investigation is complete, APD’s Force Review Board will forward the findings to the Superintendent of Police Reform to determine if this incident met the high standards of the Albuquerque Police Department. The Multi-Agency Task Force will forward its case to the District Attorney’s Office to make any determination of criminal charges.
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