In the early hours of August 11, 2020, Ken Reiss, a 50-year-old White male, made a distressing 911 call from his Albuquerque, New Mexico home. He reported that two armed individuals had broken in and he had shot one of them. This call set in motion a tragic and bizarre chain of events that would end with Reiss himself being killed. A well-known and beloved local bartender at Carraro's & Joe's Place, Reiss was a fixture in the community, known for his wit and generosity.
Following the
instructions of the 911 dispatcher to hide, Reiss left his home. When Albuquerque Police Department officers arrived, they found his house empty but with evidence of gunfire. The situation grew more confusing when officers heard another gunshot, which was later determined to be Reiss accidentally shooting himself in the thigh. Officers then spotted a man, whom they believed to be one of the intruders, running down the street.
Three officers discovered Reiss hiding behind a vehicle. According to lapel camera footage, they did not identify themselves as police when they commanded him to show his hands. Reiss reportedly responded, "No, you're not cops," and fired a single shot over the hood of the car. The three officers then opened fire, striking Reiss multiple times. One officer, believing Reiss was still reaching for his weapon, fired additional shots. In the aftermath, conversations recorded on their lapel cameras revealed the officers were uncertain whether they had shot the homeowner or an intruder.
A subsequent investigation into the incident found no evidence of the home invasion Reiss had reported. An autopsy report revealed a high level of methamphetamine in his system at the time of his death. The officers involved in the shooting were not criminally charged. In May 2022, it was reported that the city of Albuquerque had paid a $50,000 settlement in relation to the police shooting of Kenneth Reiss. No suspects were ever identified or arrested in connection with the initial home invasion that Reiss had called to report.
