New Mexico Officers Seriously Injured in Shooting 'Doing Well'

One Albuquerque police officer was wounded in the neck and arm, and another was shot in the arm in a shootout with an armed robbery suspect, who remains in critical condition.
Aug. 24, 2021

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Albuquerque police say the two officers who were seriously injured in a gunfight Thursday are recovering.

Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said officers Mario Verbeck and James Eichel are "doing well" at University of New Mexico Hospital.

"As of today, they are both awake and speaking, which is encouraging," she said on Saturday.

Verbeck was shot in the neck and arm, while Eichel was shot in the arm. APD Sgt. Sean Kenny was hit in his bulletproof vest and officer Harry Gunderson was hit by shrapnel in a shootout with armed robbery suspect James Ramirez, 27, in Northeast Albuqeurque.

Ramirez was hit by gunfire and remains in critical condition.

Atkins also said the homicide suspect shot by police during an alleged carjacking attempt on Friday afternoon on South Broadway is still in critical condition.

His name has not been released by police. It is unclear how many officers were involved in that shooting.

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(c)2021 the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.)

Visit the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) at www.abqjournal.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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