A jaywalking stop in Albuquerque ended with 26-year-old Izaeah Washington dead after a struggle with a state police officer escalated into gunfire, all captured on camera by a crew filming the reality show “COPS.” New Mexico State Police released the footage this week, offering the public its first look at the deadly encounter from Oct. 3.
According to KRQE, police video shows a New Mexico State Police officer stopping two men around noon on Oct. 3 for jaywalking. New Mexico State Police said in a release that the encounter began at about 12:11 p.m. when the officer spotted the men jaywalking on Cochiti Road near its intersection with California Street, according to a New Mexico State Police release distributed via EIN Presswire.
Struggle Breaks Out As Washington Walks Away
The stop turned physical when Washington began walking away from the officer, and the two got into a struggle, the station's report notes. The “COPS” crew’s cameras captured Washington holding a gun during the altercation, something crew members mentioned out loud as it happened, per the same account.
State police say Washington fired a single shot first, and it did not hit anyone. After a few more seconds of continued struggle, the officer pulled out his own gun and fired at Washington numerous times, hitting him at least once, the report states.
Officer Called EMS, Washington Died At Hospital
Investigators said the officer called EMS shortly after the shooting. Washington was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, per the KRQE account. State police later confirmed that the gun Washington had been holding was stolen.
The officer was not injured in the exchange, and as of the station's report, New Mexico State Police had not released his name. KRQE reported that the District Attorney is investigating the shooting.
Not The First Deadly Incident Tied To The Show
The involvement of a “COPS” film crew recalls a 2014 incident in Omaha, where a crew member filming the long-running reality show was fatally shot by an officer, an episode The New York Times described officials calling an “unfortunate incident” at the time. The circumstances of that case differ from the Albuquerque shooting, but both underscore how the presence of television cameras has, at times, placed crew members and bystanders directly within the frame of deadly police encounters.
What began as a routine jaywalking stop in Albuquerque has left a 26-year-old man dead and a community awaiting the outcome of a district attorney's review. No additional details on the investigation's status or findings have been released.
