Man and police dog killed after officers open fire at hotel near Sunport

Albuquerque police mourn shooting death of K-9 — first in unit's history

The Albuquerque Police Department mourned the loss of the first police dog killed in the lin…

An armed suspect who escaped a SWAT standoff was shot and killed by Albuquerque police officers early Thursday morning near the airport in an incident that also claimed the life of a police dog.

Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said two officers fired at the suspect, identified as Jorge Eduardo Dominguez, 39.

Gallegos said police had not yet determined if Dominguez fired his gun or whose bullets killed Rebel, a police dog who had been with APD for seven years. He said he didn't know if Rebel's K-9 handler was one of the officers who fired.

There have been six police shootings so far this year, five of them fatal.

Gallegos said Dominguez had "an extensive criminal history."

Court records show Dominguez had been arrested several times over the past decade and was on parole after serving time in prison for a road rage shooting.

Dominguez had two warrants out for his arrest when he was killed, one from a DWI arrest in February and another for auto theft and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer from an incident Tuesday.

Police tracked a stolen box truck to a neighborhood off East Central and found it with Dominguez, who ran into a nearby apartment, according to court records. The situation quickly turned into a SWAT standoff but Dominguez was able to evade capture.

Overnight Wednesday detectives tracked Dominguez to the Comfort Suites at 1401 Woodward SE, southwest of the Sunport. Gallegos said crisis negotiators tried to talk with Dominguez at 12:55 a.m. but he retreated into his hotel room, broke a window and jumped outside.

SWAT officers sent Rebel after Dominguez and the dog bit him, causing him to fall to the ground, he said.

"The dog maintained hold of the suspect, and as officers approached, they observed he had a firearm," Gallegos said. "Shots were fired, striking the suspect. The dog was also struck during the shooting."

He said Dominguez died at the scene despite attempts at lifesaving procedures, and Rebel was transported to a veterinary hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

"A handgun was located next to the suspect's body," Gallegos said.