Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina found himself during a harrowing ordeal on Saturday morning when he witnessed a shooting incident while en route to a scheduled news conference about crime prevention near the Adam Food Market.
The event took a dramatic turn as Chief Medina and his wife narrowly avoided gunfire, ending up in a car crash to evade the assailants.
According to APD Communications Director Gilbert Gallegos, Chief Medina was on his way to the news conference when he observed a homeless encampment obstructing the sidewalk on Alvarado, just north of Central Avenue. Concerned about public safety, Chief Medina reported the encampment to area commanders for removal when a physical altercation erupted between two individuals.
Gallegos recounted the alarming sequence of events, stating that Chief Medina witnessed one of the individuals brandishing a firearm during the scuffle. In a swift attempt to safeguard himself and his wife, Chief Medina maneuvered his vehicle forward, inadvertently colliding with another car approaching from a different direction.