On a summer evening in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the life of 29-year-old Mark Williams, a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short. On August 19, 2020, Williams was near the intersection of Central Avenue and Coors Boulevard when violence erupted. In the course of a confrontation, he was fatally shot. Another individual, a woman who was with Williams, was also shot and critically injured, but she survived the attack.
Williams succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The Albuquerque Police Department quickly launched a homicide investigation. Their efforts led them to identify a suspect in the shooting. Just a week later, on August 26, 2020, detectives with the department's homicide unit secured an arrest warrant for 19-year-old Luis Gerardo Chaparro Jr. He was taken into custody in connection with the deadly shooting.
According to the investigation, Chaparro allegedly approached Williams and the woman he was with. An altercation ensued, during which Chaparro is accused of shooting the woman in the chest. He then allegedly turned the gun on Williams, firing three shots and killing him. Following his arrest, Chaparro was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. He faces an open count of murder, as well as charges of tampering with evidence, aggravated battery, and assault with intent to commit a violent felony. As of the latest available information, he was awaiting trial. The motive for the shooting has not been publicly disclosed by authorities.
