Albuquerque police ID man wounded during gunfire exchange near Sandia Resort and Casino

May 1—Police shot an auto theft suspect, leaving him critically injured, after he allegedly exchanged gunfire with officers Tuesday night near Sandia Resort and Casino.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said Nicholas Roach, 35, is in critical condition at the hospital. He said Roach will be booked into jail when he is released.

Roach's family declined to comment Wednesday.

Gallegos said four officers are on paid administrative leave after firing their weapons at Roach.

The shooting will be investigated by the Multi-Agency Task Force and the department's Internal Affairs Force Division to determine if any policies or laws were violated.

"APD's Force Review Board, made up of deputy chiefs, will also review the incident to identify trends and potential policy changes that may be needed in response to any shortcomings that are identified," Gallegos said.

The incident was the sixth Albuquerque police shooting this year.

APD Chief Harold Medina said, in an early morning briefing, that undercover detectives were following Roach as he drove a stolen car "throughout the city" on Tuesday. Roach had warrants out for his arrest for violating probation by failing drug tests and refusing to enter a treatment program.

"At one point in time, this individual left the city and came to a nearby casino," Medina said, referring to Sandia.

Medina said that as Roach was leaving the casino, police used a Grappler Police Bumper to hook onto the car Roach was driving and stop him. He said two women got out of the car, but Roach tried to drive away, dragging the Grappler and attached undercover police vehicle.

Gallegos, the APD spokesman, said in a news release Wednesday that police also used less-lethal 40 mm launchers — which shoot foam rounds — to try to detain Roach. He said Roach and four officers then got into a shootout and Roach was struck by gunfire.

"Roach was transported to a local hospital where he remains in critical, but stable condition," Gallegos said.

He said detectives searched Roach's vehicle and found a handgun and spent bullet casings inside.

One of the women who was with Roach, 34-year-old Amanda Hand, was arrested on auto theft charges, according to court records. She told police she knew the car was stolen and that she had helped Roach steal other vehicles "as a follow driver on several occasions."

Court records show Roach has been arrested numerous times on stolen vehicle, shoplifting and drug charges since 2018. In February 2022, he was sentenced to nine years in prison, with six years suspended, after pleading guilty to auto theft.

Court records show that in June 2023, Roach was released to supervision under the Community Corrections Unit and "successfully completed" the program on Jan. 31 with no violations reported — holding a full-time job, completing community service and never missing an appointment or failing a drug test.

In February, after being placed on probation, Roach relapsed and began using methamphetamine, stopped making appointments and "his whereabouts are unknown," according to an April 1 probation violation report.

A warrant was issued for Roach's arrest on April 4.