Protesters marched through the University area Saturday night in part as a response to the Albuquerque Police Department’s killing of 50-year-old Ken Reiss, a beloved community member who was fatally shot by police last week.
Family members, friends and patrons of Carraro’s and Joe’s Place — a local dive bar that Reiss co-owned — have since challenged the APD account of the shooting.
Early on Aug. 11, Reiss called the police to report multiple people breaking into his home. The department has alleged that when police arrived on scene Reiss shot at the responding officers before they fired back, but those closest to him have disputed that claim.
Joshua Rodgers, one of Reiss’ neighbors, told the Albuquerque Journal his doorbell camera recorded the incident. He said shortly before officers approached on foot, Reiss hid behind a vehicle.
“He wasn’t being aggressive, he was just cowering,” Rodgers said. “I don’t fully believe he knew they were cops. I think he was just confused.”
“I’ve never known him to carry a gun,” Kat Schroeder, a longtime friend of Reiss, told the Albuquerque Journal. “We had lengthy conversations about violence and society and police — he was not a violent person and would not jump to violence in any situation. I watched him handle violent situations with a cool head.”
Protesters at Saturday’s demonstration, organized by Black New Mexico Movement, marched on Central Avenue as heavy rain started to pour.
After getting through a police barricade that was attempting to divert traffic from the protest route, a man in a car drove towards the crowd, stopping just short of hitting anyone.
He got out and confronted protesters, yelling that he was frustrated about the street being blocked. Minutes later, he got back in his car and left as the crowd regrouped.
Car attacks on demonstrators have been a common occurrence in the past two and a half months. From May 27 to July 6, there were at least 66 incidents of people driving their cars into protesters, USA Today reported.
Protesters rallied at Carraro’s and Joe’s Place and observed a moment of silence, during which the rain stopped. Ken Reiss’ 21-year-old son Devon Reiss was present and stood with organizers, holding a sign with a drawing of his father and “Justice 4 Ken” written at the top.
After the barside vigil, the march continued through the University area without chants — the Facebook event page promoted it as a “ceasefire silent march” — but with music blaring from a stereo organizers tugged along in a wagon. After reaching the Smith’s on Yale Boulevard, where the demonstration first gathered, protesters dispersed at around 8 p.m.
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Earlier in the day, Reiss’ family and friends held a private vigil outside of Joe’s. Attendees, of which there were hundreds, shared fond memories of Reiss.
“He knew a lot: He was always telling stories, and he was always happy to see anybody no matter who they were,” Devon Reiss said. “You walked in and you talked to my dad, he was happy to see you.”
Others voiced their belief that the police are lying about what actually transpired in the early morning hours of Aug. 11.
“We all know that what the cops are saying is bullshit,” one demonstrator said. “We want that body camera footage released as soon as possible, and we need some accountability.”
Saturday night’s protest was the second held in protest of recent police killings. Five hours before fatally shooting Reiss, APD shot and killed 48-year-old Jose Vallejos. The night after the two shootings, protesters gathered at the downtown police precinct, where organizers with the Red Nation honored Reiss and Vallejos and spoke about the need for police abolition rather than reform.
Bella Davis is a senior reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @bladvs
