Albuquerque city council meeting ended when angry protesters take over

ALBUQUERQUE, May 6 (UPI) -- An Albuquerque city council meeting, held two days after police killed an Air Force veteran, ended in chaos as angry protesters tried to arrest the police chief.

The protesters also demanded the dismissal of Mayor Richard Berry and the Police Chief Gorden Eden be fired.

“We have no control of this meeting! So if this is your meeting, go ahead,” Council President Ken Sanchez said after protester told officials they were seeing "democracy in action."

A U.S. Justice Department report in April criticized Albuquerque police for excessive force. The report suggested police used deadly force in situations where it was not necessary and were also too aggressive in their use of Tasers and similar weapons.

The report was released a few weeks after police shot an unarmed homeless camper, a killing followed by angry demonstrations.

Armand Martin, 50, an Air Force veteran who worked as an administrator at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center, was killed Saturday afternoon after a long standoff at his home. Martin's wife said she called police because her husband, described by her as severely depressed, had threatened her and their children.

Police said they tried to talk Martin into surrendering peacefully. He was killed when he came out of the house armed with two guns.

At the council meeting, protesters passed several motions, including one for civilian oversight of the police. Eden refused to respond when a woman handed him an arrest warrant, leaving the room instead.

“We now serve a people’s warrant for arrest on Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden! He is charged with accessory!” shouted David Corriea, an assistant professor at the University of New Mexico.