ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A teen died in a house fire after the Albuquerque Police Department fired tri-chamber canisters into the home to get a suspect to surrender. Protests showed up at a ribbon cutting ceremony July 9 at a local library to express their frustration.
#KarenStrikesAgain
— Johnny Juarez (@pueblobaddie) July 9, 2022
This ABQ woman tried to take the microphone out of the hands of a #BlackLivesMatter Organizer disrupting @MayorKeller‘s speech today at the ID Public Library ribbon cutting ceremony.
A Black boy was burned beyond recognition by police and yt ppl want us silent pic.twitter.com/wtwkL3eWdD
Police Chief Harold Medina said the team uses Tri-Chamber canisters when trying to get someone to surrender.
“They’re built in a way that’s supposed to reduce the likelihood of causing a fire. And it’s something we use over and over — in tons of calls,” he said.
The department stressed none of the officers on scene fired their weapon and the suspect surrendered as the fire was being put out.
27-year-old Qiaunt Kelley had both a federal and local warrant out for his arrest when they tracked him to a local neighborhood. According to the police chief, he and the 14-year-old ran into the home which began the standoff.
The teen has not been identified.
