sa国际传媒官网网页入口

Pink and blue balloons swayed in the wind outside a home near Downtown sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Thursday evening as the family of 23-year-old Jose Armas demanded justice after he was shot by police earlier this week.

鈥淲e're here to say that Jose deserved help,鈥� said Elier Ramirez, Armas鈥� brother. 鈥淗e deserved more than what they offered.鈥�

Armas was fatally shot by officers after he reportedly expressed suicidal thoughts prior to the shooting Tuesday evening on Eighth NW, near Bellamah. He allegedly opened fire on sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Police Department officers during incident and a bullet struck an officer鈥檚 vehicle.

Two officers were injured by glass fragments, officials said.

Family members said they called emergency services the night of his death 鈥� not for police officers, but for a social worker to de-escalate the situation.

鈥淪o I ask you cops to not see people with mental health issues as criminals or suspects but as someone who needs to be shown there is much more to life,鈥� Ramirez said.

In a video posted on social media, APD Chief Cecily Barker addressed the community and said she understood the grief and frustration in the wake of the shooting.

鈥淎 loss of life in our city is never the outcome we want,鈥� Barker said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a stark reminder of the challenges we face in our community. While we grieve this loss of life, I do want to acknowledge that our officers have to make split-second decisions under pressure while working to protect neighborhoods and each other.鈥�

Barker added that a multi-agency task force is investigating the shooting.

鈥淲e will continue working every day to support individuals in crisis and keep sa国际传媒官网网页入口 safe,鈥� said Barker, who was named chief of police in March.

Dozens of family members and friends clutched flower bouquets in their hands as they spoke mournfully about Armas, expressing their love and affection for the man while calling for reforms within APD.

They spoke of their frustration with officers for their handling of the situation, saying Armas was treated like a criminal and not a man going through a mental health crisis. 

鈥淭he cops saw a big, huge criminal, because he's tall; he's big,鈥� said Linda Alderete, Armas鈥� mother. 鈥淏ut at the end of the day, what I saw was my little boy.鈥�

Candles placed outside of the home where the shooting occurred flickered and gave light to a handmade sign that had heartfelt messages from several of Armas鈥� family members, some of which said how much they would miss him singing and dancing.

Other messages described their favorite moments with Armas next to a hand-drawn image of the man. Some people held signs that said, 鈥淪top police brutality鈥� or 鈥淪top killer cops.鈥�

Laura Alderete, aunt to Armas, said he needed support and called for officers to offer kindness and support to those suffering from mental health issues.

鈥淎ll he needed is one kind voice to say, 鈥楬ey, let me help you,鈥� because Jose was not violent,鈥� she said. "He was very kind, and all he needed was to hear another voice to say, 鈥楬ey, it's going to get better.鈥欌��

She added that she hoped the death of her nephew brought change into the world and reminded people to treat those suffering through mental health issues with kindness.

鈥淚f my nephew died for any reason, it was to make things better in this world,鈥� Laura Alderete said. 鈥淏ecause he felt all of the pain of this horrible world and all he needed was a kind of voice in the police force to say, 鈥楳an, I got you.鈥欌��

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.