ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque police said Friday investigators have completed a criminal probe into the fatal police shooting of a homeless man that sparked protests around the city.
The department also announced that it has submitted documents from the investigation on the death of 38-year-old James Boyd to the FBI and the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office. Both agencies can pursue charges against officers involved.
Albuquerque police also released audio recordings and thousands of documents related to the shooting.
A helmet-camera video of the March shooting showed Boyd, who authorities say suffered from schizophrenia, gathering his belongings before officers opened fire.
An Albuquerque police officer who fatally shot the homeless camper vowed before the deadly encounter that he would shoot the suspect with a stun gun, according to a New Mexico State police sergeant’s interview released by city officials last month.
An autopsy report released in May said Boyd was shot in the back, had multiple emergency surgeries and had his arm amputated before he died.
The shooting sparked widespread calls for reform of the Albuquerque Police Department, and the U.S. Justice Department then released a scathing review of the agency’s use of force. The city also has faced scrutiny for more than 40 police shootings since 2010.
Federal officials and the city are finishing a blueprint for police reforms.
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