An internal affairs reports details the findings of the deadly shooting of Matthew “Solo” Garcia, who was handcuffed in a police car when he was shot and killed by officers after they failed to do a pat down.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Albuquerque police released the findings of their internal investigation one year after an armed man was shot and killed by officers in the back of a squad car. It happened in October 2024 while police were conducting a drug operation at the Tewa Lodge on Central Avenue.
Soon after police handcuffed Matthew Garcia and put him in a patrol car, video shows him reaching for a gun in his pants. That’s when two officers shot him 10 times. The shooting sparked outrage across the city.
The two officers involved in the shooting were found to be in violation of all use of force policies and procedures in the case. According to the report, they detained Garcia without properly searching him, putting his life and the lives of all officers on scene at risk.
Though the use of force was ruled justifiable, because Garcia attempted to pull a gun on officers, both APD and Garcia’s family’s lawyers say it never would’ve happened if officers completed the proper pat down procedure in the first place.
Attorneys for Garcia’s family respond
Attorney Frances Crokett Carpenter says, “They (APD) say we find that shooting Mr. Garcia, was justified at the time of the actual pulling the trigger, you know, there was this tussle in the backseat of the car, but they’re linking that to creating the need to use the force. It’s this, but for analysis, right? They say, but for the pat down. You wouldn’t have had to do that in the first place.”
The lawyers for Garcia’s family say from their perspective, they feel officers had no business detaining him in the first place, stating APD was at the Tewa Lodge for code enforcement, not a drug shakedown.
Attorney Taylor Smith says, “From our perspective and what we believe to be the truth is, this was a Trojan horse operation between the Tewa Lodge and the City of Albuquerque.”
“There were certain units as Mr. Taylor stated that were highlighted. Mr. Garcia’s unit was not highlighted as one of those units,” says Carpenter.
According to the IA, Garcia told officers when they knocked on the door that it was not his unit and he was visiting a friend. He also asked officers what he was being arrested for. During that first interaction, officers noticed Garcia was wearing a necklace often used to carry drugs and began questioning him. After lying repeatedly about his real name, it was discovered Garcia had multiple felony warrants.
Garcia’s family’s attorneys say his criminal record is not justification for placing him in custody and definitely did not warrant the deadly use of force by officers.
Carpenter says, “It’s our opinion that it’s these tactical decisions that these officers are making that are leading to the deaths of Albuquerque citizens.”
Primarily we just want there to be systemic changes within APD that teaches officers how to behave in these situations. Often tell us that they’re trained, but they weren’t trained on a circumstance like this, or they’ve never seen this before,” says Smith. “We just want that training to take place, or have officers with a little bit more life experience, whether that’s a four year degree or anything to prepare them better for their active service.”
Where the investigation goes next
An APD spokesperson told us today that for any officer involved shooting, there are two investigations that take place. The internal affairs investigation by APD which is what this report is, and a criminal investigation. That investigation, along with the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Garcia’s family in June of this year, are still ongoing.
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