By Nakayla McClelland

Source Albuquerque Journal, N.M.

After Stephen Griego was assaulted in Downtown Albuquerque, police said he posted a video on social media that implied the 41-year-old would be armed with a gun to prevent something similar from happening in the future.

Weeks later, Griego got into a dispute with two men, and was slapped by one of them. This time, he pulled a gun from his waistband and shot both of them.

Officers heard the gunfire and shot at Griego, killing him. A bystander was injured, likely by a stray bullet from officers, according to police.

The Albuquerque Police Department at its headquarters on Friday provided details about the July 3 police shooting, naming the officers who opened fire and showing lapel video of the incident.

Officers Preston Harris, Jed Jeffries, Diana Magallanes and Sgt. Ralph Rodriguez fired at Griego. None of them have been involved in a prior shooting.

APD Chief Cecily Barker said the officers fired 16 rounds, and six of the bullets struck Griego.

This year, Albuquerque police have shot seven people, five of them fatally.

In a prerecorded video shown during the news conference, Cmdr. Ray Del Greco said Griego reported to police on June 20 that he had been pepper-sprayed while Downtown. Griego later posted a video of the altercation to his TikTok account, saying, “I’ll be prepared this time, so they ain’t gonna roll up on me like that.”

Gilbert Gallegos, spokesperson for APD, said the video “suggested he was ready for confrontation."

Del Greco said it was just before midnight July 3 when Griego got into an altercation with two men near Central and Third.

In social media videos shown during the briefing, Griego said, “You got to watch out for those two," and pointed at two men. It is unclear why the argument started, and police said they are unaware of the relationship between the three men.

A man in a white T-shirt attempted to shove Griego, who jumped off the scooter he was holding and pulled a gun. Del Greco said police learned Griego had stolen the gun from a friend, who was not aware it was missing.

Griego fired two rounds, first shooting the man in the white T-shirt and then the other man. Officers stationed nearby on Central ran toward the gunfire and yelled, "Police, stop," as a gunshot could be heard, according to lapel footage.

That’s when the four officers opened fire. Griego was taken to a hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Had he survived, Del Greco said, he would have been charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The two men shot by Griego were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

A bystander who was a block away, near Central and Second, was struck in the hip by a stray bullet.

“Preliminary evidence suggests the round came from one of the officers' firearms,” Gallegos said. “However, the source of the bullet cannot be confirmed until there is a ballistics introductory analysis.”

Barker said police have been in contact with the bystander, and an administrative investigation will determine if the officers followed department policies.

A vehicle was also struck by a bullet, though it was unclear Friday who fired that round.

Barker said Griego — severely wounded and in handcuffs — told police he was defending himself before he was taken to a hospital. Barker noted that neither of the men Griego shot was armed with a gun.

When asked if the self-defense claim would be investigated as part of the Multi-Agency Task Force Investigation, Del Greco said all the facts would be compiled and sent to the District Attorney’s Office for further review.

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at [email protected] or at 505-823-3857.

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