The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico is calling for a transparent and thorough investigation into the death of an unarmed woman at the hands of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD).

According to the Albuquerque Journal, the woman was killed in Northeast Albuquerque where she was hiding from police in a backyard shed. Despite drone footage showing the woman was holding a cell phone, APD officers reportedly mistook her phone for a gun when she opened the shed and pointed it at them. At least one officer fatally shot her. The woman has not yet been publicly identified.

“We are deeply troubled by the recurring deaths of unarmed individuals at the hands of the APD. The people of Albuquerque deserve a rigorous and transparent investigation into this incident to ensure accountability for those involved,” said ACLU of New Mexico Policing Policy Advocate Daniel Williams.   

“These individuals tragically lost their lives while innocently carrying everyday items misconstrued as weapons by officers,” Williams said, referencing Collin Neztsosie and Jesus Crosby who were killed by police in the past couple of years. Despite nearly ten years of oversight due to the Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA), the people of Albuquerque continue to see tragedy after tragedy resulting from APD’s interactions with the public.”

An APD spokesperson did respond to a request for comment as of press time. 

The ACLU is demanding that the City of Albuquerque commit to building on the reforms instituted through the CASA. According to data from MappingPoliceViolence.org, New Mexico ranks among the highest in the nation for police-involved fatalities per capita.  

“While we appreciate the chief’s transparency, we hope this tragic incident serves as a teaching moment for the state’s law enforcement community to rethink how they respond to low-level offenses and emphasize the need for robust de-escalation tactics,” Williams said.

The Multi-Agency Task Force is currently investigating the incident.