Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office says man shot himself before being fired upon by deputies

Lapel video and other evidence released Thursday showed a Michigan man shot himself before Bernalillo County deputies opened fire on him earlier this month in a South Valley parking lot.

Chief Deputy Nicholas Huffmyer, with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, said 32-year-old Max Marlatt was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head.

He said Marlatt was also struck by bullets fired by deputies Ian Dunbar and Nick Aragon, but the shot that killed Marlatt came from his own firearm — a rifle that had been hacked into the size of a pistol.

Huffmyer said Dunbar joined BCSO in 2013 and has been in two prior deputy shootings. Aragon joined BCSO in 2016 and had not been in a prior shooting.

An online obituary described Marlatt as “never too busy to help a neighbor, friend or stranger who needed his help.”

Marlatt was an avid outdoorsman and “had a great love for animals,” according to the obituary. “He built shelters for strays, and took many in... Max had a giving nature and kind heart.”

When Marlatt came onto BCSO’s radar on Feb. 11, he had a warrant for his arrest on a sexual assault charge out of Hazel Park, Michigan. Around 11:30 a.m., Marlatt’s truck was captured by a license plate reader, and deputies tracked him to a Walmart at Coors and Rio Bravo SW.

Dunbar’s lapel video showed he and Aragon, in separate unmarked BCSO trucks, pinned Marlatt’s truck into a parking spot. Marlatt could be seen moving in the driver’s seat as Dunbar yelled, “put your hands up, stop reaching.”

A faint gunshot is heard from inside the truck before Dunbar fires three shots and Aragon let off two bullets, leaving three bullet holes in the windshield, according to lapel video.

“We have shots fired... subject is down, looks unresponsive,” Dunbar called out over his radio.

Deputies found the gun in Marlatt’s lap and one spent shell casing in his truck, Huffmyer said. Marlatt had a bullet hole in his head and was also struck by deputy’s gunfire.

He said Marlatt’s father had reported that his son broke into a shed and stole the gun before fleeing Michigan, eventually ending up in Albuquerque.

“This is currently an active and ongoing investigation, led by the Multi-Agency Task Force. The findings will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for review and determination of any further actions,” a BCSO spokeswoman said in a release Thursday.