Sheriff’s Office releases first body camera video of an arrest
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office touted the college and high school track stats of one of its deputies — a former sprinter and hurdler — after he chased down a man last week during an arrest in Northeast Albuquerque. It’s unclear if it was the deputy’s speed or his words — “I’ll shoot you” — in the released body camera video that made Jose Mercado surrender.
The 36-year-old was booked on charges of receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle, resisting, evading or obstructing an officer and possession of a controlled substance.
BCSO spokesman Joseph Montiel said the arresting officer, deputy Mustafa Mudada, was a state champion hurdler who ran 200 meters in 22 seconds during his time at the University of New Mexico.
The Jan. 19 arrest also marked the first release of body camera video by BCSO after Sheriff Manuel Gonzalez resisted years of requests by local leaders to outfit
his deputies with the equipment. A law requiring on-body cameras passed by the Legislature ended that stalemate, and last week, BCSO unveiled the new cameras now worn by all deputies.
Jennifer Barela, Albuquerque district defender at the Law Offices of the Public Defender, said the office cannot yet comment on Mercado’s case but commended BCSO on the availability of lapel footage.
“We’ve strongly encouraged BCSO to get on board with this best practice, so we are glad the department is finally in compliance with the law,” she said in a statement. “Lapel camera footage gives this community the transparency and accountability we all have been demanding.”
In the video, Mudada sprints after Mercado, jumping over at least two fences, through multiple properties and toward an open field as he repeatedly yells, “Stop running!” Eventually, Mudada says, “Stop running right now! I’ll shoot you!” And he draws his firearm as Mercado puts his hands up and gets on the ground.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court:
Mudada responded around 2:45 p.m. to the 9300 block of Edith NE, near Alameda, after a woman reported finding her truck, which had been stolen earlier that day. When the deputy showed up, Mercado ran from the truck and Mudada gave chase.
During the chase, Mercado began reaching into his pockets and Mudada drew his gun before Mercado gave up and put his hands in the air.
Mudada found two grams of methamphetamine in Mercado’s pocket. Mercado said he had borrowed the truck from a friend and ran because he had a warrant out for his arrest.
“(Mercado’s) story did not make much sense as he appeared to struggle with the names of his ‘friends,’” Mudada wrote in the complaint.
Mudada also found two guns in the truck, but Mercado denied knowing anything about them. The woman told deputies she had gone home earlier that day to find her house broken into and her truck missing.