ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque police officers were on scene of an officer-involved shooting early Monday morning. APD says the shooting occurred west of Albuquerque, shortly after 4 a.m.
VIDEO: Police interview man accused of killing Uber driver due to “stress”
Police say Claude Laska was shot by an officer on I-40 west of the Rio Puerco. No officers were injured in the shooting. Laska was critically injured and transported to the hospital for treatment. He is in stable condition now. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office says I-40 eastbound and one westbound lane were closed Monday morning near Route 66 Casino.
According to APD, detectives had been searching for Laska since Oct. 9 on multiple felony counts. They said he left the state and fled from police in Las Vegas, Nevada, who had tried to pull him over.
Then, on Sunday, Laska is accused of shooting a man at an apartment complex near Central Ave. and Unser Blvd. He is also accused of forcing a woman into a vehicle and fleeing the area. The woman told police that Laska pistol-whipped her.
Detectives followed Laska and tried to take him into custody, but were unsuccessful. On Monday morning, Laska ran out of gas and pulled over on I-40. Officers said they heard gunshots in the car as they approached, and one officer fired back, hitting Laska.
The shooting is being investigated by the Multi-Agency Task Force.
