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— Full story from Wednesday’s Journal: Man shot during arrest attempt by U.S. marshals



A U.S. marshal shot at a fugitive near Sunset Road and Bridge Boulevard in southwest Albuquerque on Tuesday morning, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.

The suspect was taken to a hospital and is listed in stable condition.

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According to the Sheriff’s Office, a U.S. Marshals Service task force was attempting to arrest the suspect for violating parole and other alleged crimes, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, child abuse and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

A BCSO spokesman would not say whether the suspect was armed and what prompted at least one deputy marshal to shoot him.

The task force was attempting take the suspect into custody when shots were fired, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman said.

Janice Serrano, a woman who claimed to be the suspect’s sister, said she arrived on scene after hearing gunshots at her nearby home. She said she saw her brother, Gilbert Angelo Serrano, 33, being yanked out of his truck, bleeding and unarmed, and being handcuffed before getting medical attention.

She also said the US Marshal’s Service did not allow her to see her brother at the hospital, and she questioned why he had to be shot.

Witnesses said they saw a row of unmarked SUVs pull into the parking lot of a strip mall after 9 a.m. and drive up to a green pickup truck.

They said they saw a woman armed with a gun in civilian clothing fire one shot through windshield from outside he truck, followed by at least two other gunshots from men who stepped out of the SUVs.

All of the witnesses, including Mathew Garcia, a man who was stopped at a Sunset Drive stoplight, said the shooters did not identify themselves as law enforcement, nor could they see badges or identifying vests.

Gabriel and Barbara Valdez were waiting at a nearby methadone clinic when they saw the shooting. They said the man shot was struck at least once in the head, that he wasn’t armed, that none of the shooters identified themselves, and that an ambulance arrived about 10 minutes later.

A green truck can be seen at the scene with a passenger door open and one bullet hole in the top of the windshield. Both Gabriel and Barbara Valdez said investigators took their phones from them after seeing them taking pictures.

A BCSO spokesman said there was more than one person in the truck at the time of the shooting. He did not provide any more details about what threat the suspect could have posed or why deputy marshals shot him, and he also couldn’t say whether witnesses’ phones were taken.

Bill Romo, assistant manager at an auto parts store north of the scene, said he heard two gunshots while standing behind the counter at the store. Shortly after, he said he saw a man walking north in the parking lot. He said that the man was limping and holding his side before a number of unmarked cars surrounded him. He was then arrested.

A Marshals Service spokesman said a probation officer who was a member of the task force involved in the operation was “looked at” at the hospital after the shooting after possibly suffering minor injuries.

BCSO is leading a multiagency investigation into the shooting.

The names of the suspect and the officer involved in the shooting have not been released.

— This is a developing story. Additional information will be added as it becomes available.