The Albuquerque Police Department was notified in early November 2021 that Tobias Gutierrez was wielding a knife and threatening to kill people in downtown Albuquerque. Ninety days later, APD received 911 calls that a man on a bicycle was stabbing people. APD followed a trail of bloody victims that led them to Tobias Gutierrez.
Man wielding a knife on Central Avenue in November 2021, identified himself as Tobias Gutierrez
In early November of 2021, Michael McCutcheon and a female passenger were sitting in their vehicle filming drug trafficking at Sixth Street and Central Avenue, when a man approached their vehicle. The man began yelling, told them to leave, and threatened to kill them with his large knife. To defuse the situation she responded, “I think I know you, what is your name?”. The man responded, “Tobias Gutierrez and I don’t know you”. He then hopped on his bicycle and peddled away. She called 911 only to be told that this was a non-emergency. She then called the non-emergency number and was informed since it was only a knife, and no one was stabbed they would not respond.
It took the stabbing of eleven individuals three months later, on February 13, 2022, for the Albuquerque Police Department to respond to Tobias Gutierrez. Gutierrez’s reputation of bicycling while wielding a knife on Central Avenue was not enough to be news-worthy in Albuquerque but stabbing eleven individuals was enough to be news-worthy across the country.
Albuquerque is home to hundreds of violent criminals as well as the violently mentally ill. I do not know what category Tobias Gutierrez fits in, but I do know the Democrats in Santa Fe perpetuate a dangerous environment for the people of New Mexico. For example, the New Mexico legislature will be voting on the much-touted Crime Bill SB 235 which provides retention bonuses for law enforcement officers, adding three district court judges, funding for violent crime intervention programs, and expansion of uses for crime reduction grants; however, SB 235 will not keep violent individuals off our city streets. It will provide cover for Santa Fe Democrats perpetuating the violent crime epidemic.
The Albuquerque Police Department’s failure to respond to “Man wielding knife threatening to kill me” or any other dangerous situations is not surprising. The explanation is simple, police are demonized for mistakes made in split-second decisions during explosive situations. The only choice left for Police Departments is to avoid explosive situations.
A year ago, a young woman experienced a home invasion. She fled her home and sought refuge in her neighbor’s home while he chased away the intruders. APD officers arrived forty-five minutes after the first 911 call. I asked a simple question of the officers, what took so long? The excuses given were a mix-up in dispatching, a mix-up in addresses, and a misunderstanding that assistance was rendered when it wasn’t. Lastly, they conceded that because of the US Department of Justice oversight protocol, they must be very careful how to respond to requests for assistance which leads to delays in responding to calls.
Albuquerque has one of George Soros’s soft on crime District Attorneys, Raul Torrez. DA Torrez has left a trail of tragic outcomes because of his criminal justice reform agenda. Darian Bashir was first arrested for shooting an individual in the stomach, the second arrest for a drive-by shooting. But it took the murder of Jackson Weller a UNM baseball player for DA Torrez to finally prosecute Darian Bashir.
Criminal Justice Reform claims to protect minorities from being unfairly arrested, prosecuted, convicted, and incarcerated. In reality it short circuits justice for victims and places violent criminals back into the community to re-offend. I spoke with Edward Martinez who shared with me he was shot on Central Avenue. The shooting left Edward blind in one eye and the violent criminal was never prosecuted. He lamented, “nothing happened to the person that shot me. I guess I don’t count”
New Mexico citizens have eight months to elect new state legislators that will pass legislation that supports our police, reverse bail bond reform that created revolving doors at our jails and strengthens citizens’ ability to recall district attorneys and judges that put violent criminals back into our neighborhoods.
Only in New Mexico
A few years ago, Albuquerque civic leaders were telling people to, “Brag It Don’t Bag It”. They told me to stop Bagging Albuquerque. I continued calling it as I saw it, we have a violent crime problem, not a messaging problem. In the last couple of years, Albuquerque is in the National News Headlines for violent crime, Fort Worth Star Telegraph, and NPR National News.
Mark, I’m flattered. Please get off the Albuquerque park bench and hit the road. Meet the people of New Mexico and listen to the challenges they face every day.