FEDERAL OFFICIALS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE INVESTIGATION OF MONDAY’S SHOOTING DEATH ON ALBUQUERQUE’S WEST SIDE. THE POSTAL SERVICE CONFIRMS THAT THE VICTIM WAS 47 YEAR OLD MAIL CARRIER JOSE HERNANDEZ. CHANNEL 7 NEWS REPORTS HE WAS AN ARMY VETERAN AND THE FATHER OF FOUR CHILDREN.
POLICE BELIEVE HERNANDEZ WAS SHOT BY 17 YEAR OLD XAVIER ZAMORA, WHO WAS IN A FIGHT WITH HIS MOTHER WHEN HERNANDEZ TRIED TO STOP HIM. POLICE SAY, AT ONE POINT, HE USED MACE TO DEFEND HIMSELF AGAINST THE TEEN, WHO RETRIEVED A GUN FROM THE HOME AND SHOT HERNANDEZ TO DEATH. THE SHOOTING LED TO A LONG POLICE PRESENCE NEAR 98TH AND TOWER, WITH NO CONFIRMATION THAT AN ARREST HAS BEEN MADE.
