Editors note: this video contains graphic content
Video from the doorbell camera of a neighbor shows police officers fatally shooting the man who called 911 for help last week in a university-area neighborhood.
Albuquerque police have given few details since the Aug. 11 death of 50-year-old of Kenneth Reiss, citing an ongoing investigation, but have said Reiss fired first at officers after calling 911 to report people breaking into his home.
The video, taken along Princeton SE, a block from Reiss’ home, shows Albuquerque police walking up the street with flashlights before spotting Reiss behind a vehicle.
Police immediately shouted at Reiss, telling him to show his hands, before firing at least 13 times as they pivoted around the vehicle. Other voices can be heard as officers yell at Reiss.
After the gunfire stops, a man can be heard yelling before another four gunshots ring out.
The shooting has come under scrutiny as friends of Reiss painted a portrait of a man they say would not escalate to violence or shoot at police, and neighbors express confusion at the lack of investigation into the report of a home invasion.
“We want a fair and transparent investigation of what happened to Ken and we want to know the truth,” said Aspen-Rose Doyle, who shares a son with Reiss. “The information we’re getting from APD doesn’t match what’s on the video and it doesn’t match what we know of Ken’s character. Ken wasn’t an escalator. Ken didn’t hate the police, he called the police to help him.”
“We believe there was a better way to handle the situation,” she added.
Linda Johnson, who lives across from Reiss, said she and her ex-husband heard a gunshot, then another. She said the pair went outside and saw Reiss run and crouch behind a vehicle with a gun in his hand.
Johnson said Reiss looked “wide-eyed and terrified,” saying he shot someone who broke into his house — describing them as “professionals.”
She said police vehicles showed up within minutes and Reiss said, “If that’s not Albuquerque police, we’re in big trouble.”
Johnson said she went back to her home when another shot rang out. She looked out the window and saw Reiss holding his side as he ran around the corner, down Princeton.
She said her ex-husband got on his knees with his hands behind his head when he saw the officers approaching on foot and they surrounded him.
“This is the saddest part, (he) was trying to tell them ‘that is the victim, that’s the guy that called you,’” Johnson said. She said the officer told him to shut up and police moved down Princeton.
Soon after, she heard a volley of gunfire and saw the ambulance take Reiss away.
Johnson said another neighbor, who had watched the event unfold, walked up to officers in the street and said, “Do you know you just shot the man that called you?”
