MILAN, N.M. – Last Summer, a man accused of shooting four Albuquerque Police Department Officers was remanded to jail in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On February 15, the alleged shooter’s body was discovered deceased in the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, N.M.
James Ramirez became involved in a shootout with APD officers at a coffee shop near Juan Tabo Boulevard and Constitution Avenue NE after an alleged robbery in Albuquerque, N.M. Four APD officers were injured in the course of the shootout, after which Ramirez was taken into custody and a gun with his alleged prints was discovered near him after the arrest. According to a criminal complaint, APD determined there was another person involved in the robbery but they did not discover the identity of this second person. “Officers Verbeck, Eichel, Gunderson and Sgt. Kenny risked their lives when they responded to take a robbery suspect into custody,” APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in a statement, “We are forever thankful for their selfless actions to keep the community safe.”
Albuquerque Police Department had said Ramirez was being held in a Valencia County jail, how he came to the Cibola County Correctional Center has yet to be disclosed. CCCC is a privately owned detention facility overseen by CoreCivic, according to a spokes person with the company, Ramirez was being held by the United States Marshal Service.
Ramirez was discovered dead in his jail cell on February 15, an investigation into his death is ongoing. In the United States justice system, all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.