Two arrested for allegedly aiding man injured in August officer-involved shooting

Two people who allegedly harbored and tended to the wounds of a man shot by Albuquerque police during a foot chase were arrested last week.

New Mexico State Police arrested Valiente Nunez, 53, and Tylerrose Vargas, 30, for allegedly aiding and harboring a felon — namely, Pablo Abreu-Peña, who was shot in mid-August after police say he retrieved a pink-accented revolver during a foot chase in Southeast Albuquerque.

Both Nunez and Vargas were released the day after their arrest. But Vargas, according to court records, had a bench warrant issued for her arrest three days later, after allegedly failing to report to felony pretrial supervision.

No attorney is listed in Vargas’ case, and an effort to reach the attorney listed in Nunez’s case made Monday evening was not successful.

Albuquerque police say they originally detained Abreu-Peña after finding him outside an apartment near Rhode Island and Bell SE spray painting the rim of a car that was stolen from a dealership but never reported.

Lapel video showed him bolting during that questioning, leading to the foot chase in which he reportedly eventually ran back to the stolen vehicle and grabbed the revolver from behind the rim.

There was no evidence collected by police to show that Abreu-Peña fired at officer Garrett Howington, who fired 15 times down a dark alley as Abreu-Peña fled, hitting him twice in the legs and the buttocks.

Police say Abreu-Peña escaped over a fence and ran across a field, and days later was found in a home with Vargas and Nunez, just a few blocks from the scene of the original shooting. Police have said the two were caring for Abreu-Peña’s injuries.

Abreu-Peña is facing charges including aggravated assault on a police officer and auto theft.