Albuquerque Deputy Points Gun at a motorcyclist (courtesy youtube.com)

In the video below, an unidentified Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy points his gun at a motorcyclist pulling a wheelie next to the cruiser. Residents who saw the now-viral video were not well pleased with their local constabulary’s reaction to the ballsy biker boy. Responding to their concerns, Sheriff Manuel Gonzales III cautioned the public not to rush to judgement based on 20 seconds of video . . .

Try to understand that these things are sometimes more complicated than they realize, that they just need more information so we can give them a better understanding.

Apparently that explanatory information was not forthcoming at the press conference.

This news report reveals that the Sheriff reckons his officers were “following procedure.” Helpfully enough, the first local TV station shows us that the bikers are a PITA to local residents. So . . . that’s alright then?

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74 COMMENTS

    • The wheelie on a crotch-rocket or pointing your gun at someone who is not threatening you with bodily harm?

        • It’s a sport bike, a type of street bike meant to go fast and take corners harder than most street bikes (like a cruiser or whatever). Usually has a fairing for better aerodynamics but that can be stripped off.

          Something like a Suzuki GS or SV series bike, Yamaha FZ, YZF or some other bikes like a Triump Street Triple. They’re pretty common, fast but not as loud as a Harley…

          LOL the ones that sound like a turbo’d weedwhacker as opposed to an obnoxiously loud and deep growl.

        • My pick-up has not one, but two turbos, my bike – none. Still the bike is WAAYY faster.

          Anyhoo, if you want to look like the congresswoman talking about the ‘shoulder thing that goes up’, go up to some guys (or girls) on sportbikes and call them ‘crotch rockets’.

        • If they ride a sport bike they would almost certainly know the term “crotch rocket” since, due to the seat design, it’s been a slang term for a Asian style sport bike since like 1980 just like calling an actual Asian imported bike of that style a “rice rocket” has been around since about the same time. It’s the same thing as calling an Asian “import tuner” car like a suped up Civic, a Lancer Evo or a WRX a “ricer”.

          I’m actually shocked that someone who owns a bike doesn’t know the term as many people who ride a more traditional street bike often use those terms as a serious pejorative for sport bikes.

          Also, I wasn’t suggesting that the bikes are turboed, though some are, I was saying that some of them, depending on exhaust, sound like someone slapped a turbo on a weedwhacker.

        • I reserve “Rice Grinders” for Japanese vehicles on 4 wheels with 57 performance parts stickers (each sticker adds at least 5 horsepower a piece, didn’t ya know?!) a wing you could serve Thanksgiving dinner on and a fart tube the diameter of a basketball.

          Oh, and don’t forget front wheel drive.

      • If only there was a way to identify these riders. Some kind of marking or numbers that could be used to track down the bike and who owns it. Some kind of numbered plate attached to the back of the bikes. Why they could take a photo of that identification number and send them a notice to appear at a court house. They could cancel there registration and license without pointing a gun at them. Some day…… maybe some day.

        • Wrong answer.

          Was the motorcyclist doing anything actually illegal? And by “illegal” I don’t be mean breaking some statute that somebody made up, but I mean was he aggressing or causing anyone actual harm?

          Note: actual, not potential harm. Just driving a vehicle constitutes potential harm…

          So in reality, while we might not like the guy doing a wheelie or agree with his method of expressing himself, short of him actually, physically hurting someone else, he shouldn’t have anything to fear from the law.

          If his actions cause himself harm? That’s on him. No law will fix stupid.

  2. Once again, visual evidence that the police consider the pistol a COMPLIANCE TOOL which when not complied with can also be used as a REVENGE implementation device.

  4. I know Sheriff Gonzalez and he is not well equipped to handle controversy and Lord knows he should have enough practice. Whether this guy was a threat or not, BCSO policy prohibit shooting from or at a moving vehicle. I hope the officer get canned, LE cannot tolerate excessive and abusive uses or threats of force.

    • Just to follow up because this comment software sucks, if deadly force was justified then the deputies should have just rammed the motorcyclist. This was just a pissed off deputy. You will respect my authority.

    • Given APD has such an appetite for aggression, can I recommend they equip their cruisers with James Bond/Goldfinger style axle extensions for wheel attack? Also recommend theme music and notches on their pistols.

      Weren’t these the guys that went after a pathetic homeless guy a few years back, the one terrified of the PD dogs: he took out his two knives as he backed up. But they shot him anyway. The cop with the less-lethal shotgun let off a round after the poor bast@rd had been downed?

      • That was in fact APD which is a different agency than the Sheriff’s office in this story.

        Said homeless guy only had one knife and was about 20 yards away over rocky, uneven terrain that no one could cross quickly. He did however take a step towards the officers.

        • he took a step towards his bag behind him. what video were you looking at? then has he was dying and bleeding out, crying for his mama, they fired non-lethal bean bags at him. some of the most fcked up stuff I have ever seen. that was 100% murder, and was obviously a product of terrible militaristic training practices. that was a very long and drawn out ordeal, not some “surprise” they had to deal with. cowards all.

  5. That “sheriff” has bigger gazoombas than my 80 year-old grandmother, put the damn donuts down already, gosh!

  6. The officer sure looks like he’s in the wrong on this one, thus he should be disciplined accordingly.

    But, some of those bikers. I know there’s no law against douchbaggery, but I remember a time when it wasn’t as prevalent as it is now, and things were better on the whole for it. For example, in my neighborhood, there’s a guy with a Dodge Ram that has a Cummins, and what I’m sure is an open exhaust. His path out of the neighborhood leads right past my house, and he seems to like to make as much noise as possible on his way out (which is usually several times a day). He’s not breaking the law or anything, but whatever happened to just being a good neighbor.

    • I had a neighbor like that. Lots of families in the neighborhood with young kids asked him to knock it off. He didn’t. He woke up one day to 4 slashed tires…being young and dumb, he didn’t get the message. Second time he had four flats he did…I miss that old neighborhood.

  7. I’ve had an officer point shotgun at me and rack the slide, the barrel looked big enuff to crawl into. In three other instances they’ve pointed pistols at me. A ccp with a Gock makes me nervous, them Gocks need an external saftey.Having an officer point a gun at you ain’t no big deal . Just do what they say to do.

  8. There was no threat and this government employee should not have even been touching his firearm. He needs to spend the rest of his days in prison for his acts.

    This is yet another example of why we need to disarm the police. Citizens should be armed, not government employees.

  9. I couldn’t do that. I would go to jail for brandishing or assault with a deadly weapon.

    I don’t think so called qualified immunity is meant to protect a criminal from unnecessarily pointing guns at an unarmed guy on a motorcycle. At the very least they have to fire that thug of a cop before he does something that can’t be taken back.

    Remember that guy who was sick of motorcyclists? Where is he now?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LreWfR_p__M

  10. Stupid cop.
    He should know all those crotchrocket douchebags always wear helmet cams so they can post their dangerous antics on YooToobe.

    I believe his goose is officially cooked.

  12. What? A sheriff’s deputy pointed his gun at a motorcyclist? That’s it. I’m officially outraged! From now on, when I hear the National Anthem, I’m going to kneel just like those NFL douchebags.

  13. I am a “full time” biker, and “POTG.”

    As for complicated, well it doesn’t seem so… it reminds me of something my Mama used to tell me… simple, really:

    “Two wrongs does not make a right.”

    No need to take sides on this one– there’s enough douchebaggery to spread around here. Having said that… one offense seems to be a ticket or misdemeanor crime, maybe… the other offense seems like a clear felony. Personally, I’m big on “equality under the law.”

    Be safe.

    • And have him lose control of the bike and fall off and become a cripple? Yeah, great idea if you’re the lawyer looking to represent him for damages by Albuquerque PD.

      • “And have him lose control of the bike and fall off and become a cripple? ”

        Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

        • i would argue riding a wheelie is already losing full control of the bike. legally speaking anyway. i hate that shit, and I am a former owner of a couple rice rockets. its why my bike insurance on a 11K motorcycle cost as much as on my 40K car.

    • Should have zapped the kid….

      To what end?

      He drops the kid, harms the kid for no real reason. Then the bike gets destroyed in the wreck, sending pieces of it all over the road. Now the road has to be shut down so that shit can get cleaned up. Oh, and what of the motorist who wasn’t paying attention and hits the frame/motor of the bike? Cause ya know hitting 900 pounds of metal at speed isn’t gonna fuck your car up or anything…

      This was gross stupidity all around but Jesus-tapdancing-Christ there’s no reason to go and make it worse by shutting down roads and putting people in this hospital.

  15. Let’s see, motorcyclist doing a wheelie and also in front of the police car has both his hands on the handles/wheel. What threat does he pose to a 3000 pound car and two cops in it? Imagine if there was a negligent discharge if the cop car his a big pothole and the biker was shot and careened into opposing traffic or pedestrians and not only he die, but someone else?

    The dumb shit pig needs to be fired and fried like bacon. There’s no justification for pointing a gun at someone who is not an immediate threat while the cop is sitting in the car.

  16. It’s complicated? I can handle complicated. People pay me good money to handle complicated. Lay it on me, sheriff, go right ahead.

  17. What the cop did was wrong, not just legally, but also tactically and strategically; the rider’s only reaction to it was to drop his wheely so he could speed up. It did not seem that the cop gained any compliance or respect or anything (except controversy). He proved that he’ll threaten with his weapon when his life is not at risk AND that he’ll threaten with the weapon then not use it. If people decide the police habitually will do this, then they’ll stop respecting a drawn firearm, at least to some extent.

    As for the riders; crotch rockets make people do very dumb things and/or people who are drawn to crotch rockets are predisposed to doing dumb stuff. Either way, if there’s a complaint to police about crotch rocketeers, the way to go would be to arrive with several vehicles, box one or more in, then slow them down, probably to a stop. Repeat as necessary until the local bike douches come to an understanding.

    • “…crotch rockets make people do very dumb things…”

      i know, right? it’s just like all that stuff my guns and knives force me to do!

    • Boxing in a crotch rocket? Are you high?

      That bike is nearly infinitely more maneuverable than the cars, way faster and can fit through pretty tight spaces. If the rider wants to get away he’s swerve around the cruisers and hit the gas. Plus, if the rider fucks up in that situation the cops are getting sued and the biker will almost certainly win that one because NM law prohibits cops from taking significant action to stop a bike unless there’s a prior felony involved. Other than that they take your license number and show up at your house.

      My 650 will outrun the cops all day. I don’t give them a reason to pull me over and wouldn’t run if they did try to pull me over but I twist that throttle and I’m fucking gone. Bigger bikes will be gone even faster.

      Also, not everyone who rides a crotch rocket is stupid. When you get large groups of riders you’ll usually find a lot of stupidity regardless of bike type. It’s just that crotch rocket riders are more likely to have cameras than the type of folks that tend to ride a Harley or a GoldWing.

      • I went on a group ride with ~120 other bikers this past weekend… not once incident of stupidity to be seen.

        Also not a single crotch rocket, though.

  18. Doesn’t the cop have plausible deniability here? Biker posed a credible threat of grievous bodily injury to himself. By upsetting his motorcycle’s balance point so dramatically on a public road, the chance that he would lose control of the bicycle, he was at serious risk of harm coming to him, etc.

    That doesn’t mean that it’s smart to distract someone who’s in the process of engaging in such precarious behavior (I’ve never ridden a motorcycle and I never will, so I’m not 100% clear on how difficult it actually is to maintain a wheelie at highway speeds), but it could very well be lawful?

    • “Doesn’t the cop have plausible deniability here? Biker posed a credible threat of grievous bodily injury to himself”

      Plausible deniability is definitely not the right term here, he’s on video pointing his gat at a biker.

      And he posed a threat of grievous bodily injury to himself? First, who gives a fuck if he wrecks and leaves a flesh skid mark a quarter mile long? Second, the concept of a cop shooting him for ostensibly his own good, give me a break. “He was going to jump off the bridge but I just couldn’t let that happen, so I shot him in the fucking head and he simply fell into the water.”

  19. Just let the bike go, pretty soon someone will be picking pieces of him off the road. Happens all the time around here, one hit a car at high speed was launched over an overpass. Problem was the chain link fence on it , made quite a strainer ….

  20. The biker is being dumb. The cop was too.

    The biker gave riders a bad name the cop did the same for LEOs. I mean, break it down: if the actions of the biker are dangerous (they are) how does pointing a gun at him stop the dangerous actiont? It doesn’t.

    In fact it makes things worse because of that the officer’s actions which encourage the biker to drop back to two wheels and hit twist the throttle HARD because he has a gun pointed at him for no apparent reason which would suggest to me, were I the biker, that this person 1) isn’t actually a cop (which happens) or 2) is mentally unstable. In either case I want distance between myself and the “officer” and I can get it by hitting the gas because that cruiser cannot keep up with me.

  21. is this not brandishing? most states have laws against that. oh, i forget, we have different laws for different people in this country, based on class.

      • Being that it was on tape, I wonder what the oitcome would have been if he had noticed and been able to dump a mag into the car and both officers? ANYONE points a gun at me, I’m gonna be judged by twelve rather than carried by six, badge be damned.

  22. Wow, there are a lot of stupid people commenting here. The officer should not have pulled his firearm while in the car, but he did not violate policy. The biker is committing a felony (felony eluding). Biker is using a deadly weapon, his bike, driving recklessly on a public road, endangering the motoring public (other drivers). . So the officer is justified in pulling his firearm. That being said, doesn’t make sense pulling gun while still in the moving vehicle.

    Most cops see these young bikers for what they are, a self cleaning fish. Most crash and kill themselves within 2 to 3 years. Problem solved.

    • Boot lick much?

      I’d like to see a “civilian” make the argument before a court that the motorcycle was threatening death or grievous bodily injury to the “motoring public” and that why you shot him – from your moving vehicle.

      There is so much fail in your comment it’s hard to know where to start..

    • Way to justify the cop violating his own dept policy, but also commiting two felonies….you must be a pig, I smell bacon all over this comment.

    • Popping a wheelie is not “felony eluding”. The rider didn’t try to get away until that reckless, disturbed cop pointed a gun at him and put him in fear for his life – then he hauled ass out of there, as I would have too!

      I’m certainly not sticking around to find out his intentions. There’s simply no way to sue that cop for assault with a deadly weapon if he shoots you on the spot.

      “Wow, there are a lot of stupid people commenting here.” Well, there was one fewer until you chimed in…

  23. Speaking as someone who’s tripled the speed limit more times than I could possibly count, I a) have always had enough sense not to wheelie in front of the cops and b) had I had such a lack of judgement and a cop responded by pointing his sidearm at me, I would consider that reason enough to flee – which, just a guess, may be why the cop did it.

  24. Really, totally justifiable according to most L.E. department’s policies. I agree not the smartest thing to do with all the snowflakes like yourself out there second guessing every cops action and supporting criminals.

    Imagine your driving with your wife and kids and a group of bikers surround you and intimidate you. I would slow and pull over, but I’d be ready. Cops don’t have that choice, they have to attempt to take action, it’s their job. You might want to research a law book before opening your pie hole.

    • Oh the irony…

      Did you even watch the videos? Within the first few seconds, the newscaster states: that there is “an internal affairs criminal investigation underway”. So I guess the DA needs to “research a law book” as well. I think it’s funny how people like yourself so often start off with “imagine…”, because thats what you have to do, imagine something that didn’t actually take place.

      Do I think that this kid is an idiot? Of course I do. Should he be running from the police? Of course not.

      But lets be clear: No one needs to be shot here and to suppose otherwise is absurd. If anyone is a “snowflake” its the cop that feels so threatened while in his vehicle driving behind the cyclist that he felt (there are those feelings that override good judgement again) he needed to draw his weapon.

      They need to fire this idiot before he seriously hurts someone “policing while scared.”

    • “a group of bikers surround you and intimidate you”

      Umm, I’m in a steel cage, on 4 wheels and have 5-6 times the mass…… pretty simple calculus here: START SLAMMING THEM

      Seriously, I will run over an entire fucking clubhouse of Hell’s Angels before I even think about slowing down.

    • Yep, Ed was right – he’s gotta be a pig, to say that this action was justifiable in any way, shape or form.

  25. Hmm, an interesting dilemma, this. How does one stop a loud, attention seeking, reckless, criminal on a bike, when the only way to stop him, without actually shooting him, would be to ram into him and send him to the pavement? In reality, there’s shit all he could do. As much as I despise motorcycles, (we have the same problems with racing and noise where I live) you can’t exactly shoot someone for being an asshole. Given the current atmosphere of anti-cop rhetoric and feelings, a vulture lawyer would be more than happy to sue the department, should the cretin on the bike, sustain major injuries as a result of the driving officer sending the rider to the pavement. So in the end, realistically, what do you do? Also, running the plates? What if they come back stolen?

    • It’s really not that complicated. There are a variety of civil and criminal remedies available. Fines, impound the motorcycle, suspension of drivers license, perhaps a few weeks in the county jail. None of these reasonable outcomes, given the crime of “being an asshole”, involve anyone getting maimed or killed. These aren’t the dark ages.

      • Okay, all of those are good options, but they also all depend on being able to catch the criminal. If you can’t stop him to give him the fines, tickets, take his license, or arrest him, how are you going to perform all of the above acts?

        • It’s called reading his license tag and showing up at his home.

          It’s actually part of NM law that in most cases cops are required to do this rather than chase a bike that runs from them. It’s been that way since I was in high school in NM and I doubt it’s changed, so they should have some decent practice at it.

          Besides, assuming the biker doesn’t wreck, it’s not like they’re gonna catch that guy if he runs.

        • Having seen numerous chases over the years, the tactics seem to vary: road blocks, spike strips, followed with helicopters, followed by motor bike cops, corralled in by multiple cruisers. I’m sure there is an acceptable method. You just have to decide how big of a problem is this really and then dedicate the appropriate resources. It’s not like a street bike is a magical get out of jail free card. If that were so then all criminals everywhere would use them. And in the end if the only way to get every single one of them is to start shooting people from your cruiser, then perhaps it is better to let some of them go. After all they are a nuisance they went hurting anyone.

          What sense do “malice prohibitum” laws make if in the enforcement of them you create the very thing they were designed to prevent?

  26. Seems pretty simple: biker gets a ticket for careless and imprudent driving; beats it in court. No one physically at risk.
    Cop goes to prison for felony assault.
    Cases closed.

  27. Seems pretty simple: biker gets a ticket for careless and imprudent driving; beats it in court. No one physically at risk.
    Cop goes to prison for felony assault.
    Cases clossed

  28. We had kind of the opposite thing happen here. Unmarked black and gray motorcycles parked on the shoulder with unmarked black and gray leather clad ninjas pointing what
    Looked like guns at passing cars. Turns out they were either state highway patrol or city cops with radar “guns”. What could possibly go wrong?

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