CRIME
Man arrested in connection with fatal Downtown shooting
Albuquerque police on Saturday arrested a man on suspicion of fatally shooting another man Downtown early Saturday morning after the victim mistakenly tried to open the suspect鈥檚 vehicle.
Edwin Sanders, 44, was charged with an open count of murder and other charges in connection with the shooting.
Estevan Gomez, of Espa帽ola, was in Albuquerque Friday night to attend an event with a coworker. After the event, the two men went to Knockouts strip club, Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesperson, said in a news release.
After an hour at the club, the men left and walked around Downtown looking for their vehicle, a Ford Escape.
Shortly before 4 a.m., they came across Sanders鈥� vehicle and mistook it for their own and tried to enter it but couldn鈥檛 unlock the SUV, according to police.
Sanders, who was across the street, saw the men and accused them of trying to break into his vehicle. Gomez and his coworker tried to explain their mistake and walked away, police said.
The coworker told police that Sanders retrieved a gun from his vehicle and followed the two men to their vehicle and demanded money.
As Gomez put the car in drive to leave, Sanders fired one shot through the back of window, striking Gomez, who died at the scene near Third and Copper NW.
Police obtained a description of the vehicle that picked Sanders up after the shooting and were able to track the vehicle and identify the owner. Police eventually identified Sanders and arrested him at a home in Northeast Albuquerque on Saturday night.
