Albuquerque police detail shooting that left man in critical condition

An attempt to arrest a man on multiple felony warrants ended in a shootout with Albuquerque police early last month alongside Interstate 40 west of the city. 

The Albuquerque Police Department on Friday shared lapel videos and details from the Nov. 3 shooting that left 32-year-old Claude Laska critically injured from a single bullet that traveled into his neck. Laska, who has a history of multiple violent felonies related to domestic violence incidents, shot at police at least four times before being shot, according to police.

Laska is currently in the hospital in critical condition. Upon his release, he will be charged with four counts each of aggravated assault on a peace officer and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of kidnapping as well as lesser charges.

Officer Zackary Herbst, who has been with the department for 11 years, fired at Laska at least six times, striking him once. Herbst has been involved in four prior police shootings, including a fatal one on Aug. 2.

The shooting was the 14th time APD has shot, or shot at, someone this year. Ten of those incidents have been fatal.

Prior to the shooting, Laska had a warrant out for his arrest for an Oct. 9 domestic dispute, in which he pistol-whipped his girlfriend in the face and threatened to shoot her mother and an apartment maintenance worker after breaking into the apartment, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

Cmdr. Jeff Barnard, who oversees APD’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, said officers were dispatched to the Crescent Ridge apartment complex, near Bridge and Unser, on Nov. 2 around 7 p.m. in response to a domestic dispute. 

A 911 caller told police Laska had given his girlfriend an unknown substance that caused her to overdose. The caller told officers that Laska had left the apartment, armed with a gun, and threatened to shoot police if they tried to arrest him. 

"My sister's boyfriend just OD'd her and then left," a woman told a 911 dispatcher. "He has a gun and he has made threats at you guys that if you corner him, he will have a shootout with you."

Officers arrived and learned that paramedics had given aid to Laska's girlfriend. Laska was not present at the time.

Less than an hour later, police received another call that Laska had returned to the apartment and shot a man in the leg. Dispatchers reported hearing gunfire during the 911 call.

In an officer's lapel video, a man is heard telling police, "He came through, shot in front of my mom's house, in front of the kids and everything."

Witnesses told police that Laska then kidnapped his girlfriend at gunpoint. Around 9 p.m., Laska called his girlfriend's mother, who urged him to turn himself in. Officers spoke with Laska on the phone and he told police he would shoot them if they attempted to arrest him.

"If you come at me bro, me and you would have a shootout bro," Laska told police in the 911 call. "I ain't going to jail bro, I'm gonna keep it 100 with you. Make sure you bring heavy guys. (Expletive) you and your momma." 

Around 2 a.m., an APD detective spoke with Laska's girlfriend, who had returned to the apartment. She told police Laska had forced her into his vehicle at gunpoint and drove to Tijeras, where she tried to jump out of the car. The girlfriend told police Laska repeatedly pistol-whipped her until she returned to the vehicle. 

The woman told police that the two drove back into Albuquerque and Laska dropped her off at a random location, from where she walked back to her apartment. 

Sometime after 3:30 a.m., police caught up with Laska near Central and 98th and attempted to use a Grappler device — a device that wraps around a vehicle's rear wheel to stop a pursuit — but failed. 

Laska drove west on Interstate 40, and APD helicopters followed him as he left the city limits around 4 a.m. Laska eventually took I-40 east to return to Albuquerque.

APD worked with New Mexico State Police to set up a spike belt, but Laska avoided it. 

Shortly after, Laska's car began to slow down and he pulled off the highway. Video from the APD helicopter showed Laska get out of the vehicle and fire multiple rounds at officers. 

Lapel video from officer Herbst showed him opening the door of a police vehicle before he fired several rounds at Laska, hitting him once in the upper back. The bullet struck Laska in the neck, fracturing his spine. 

Herbst told APD investigators that he saw Laska fire his gun at officers, and police found four spent bullet casings near Laska's car. Laska was still holding his firearm when officers handcuffed him.