A Rio Rancho man is in custody following a six-hour SWAT standoff, during which police say he fired several hundred rounds of ammunition along NM State Road 528 and from his residence. The man, named Eric Brusstar, now faces multiple charges.
Brusstar was arrested without incident early Wednesday, Dec. 18, after the standoff ended around 5 a.m. Crisis negotiators and SWAT teams resolved the situation peacefully. No injuries were reported.
Police responded to reports of gunfire near Sabana Grande Avenue and NM 528 at about 11 p.m. Tuesday. Officers traced the gunfire to the 4100 block of Las Casas Court, prompting the SWAT response.
“Officers arrived on scene and could hear a significant amount of gunfire from different weapons being shot, perceivably in their direction,” Rio Rancho Police Department Captain Jacquelynn Reedy wrote in an email. “New Mexico State Police air support and (Albuquerque Police Department) air support assisted officers in locating a suspect, who began shooting at the APD helicopter.”
Police closed NM 528 in both directions between Sabana Grande Avenue and Leon Grande Avenue during the standoff. They also advised residents to avoid the Corrales Heights area.
“Thank you to the New Mexico State Police, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, Bernalillo Police Department, and the Albuquerque Police Department Air Unit who assisted in the apprehension of the suspect,” Reedy said.