Walgreens employee arrested for stabbing, shooting girlfriend's car

Kieran Garza, 23, of Rio Rancho, was arrested May 30 for two counts of shooting at or from a motor vehicle, criminal damage to property, two counts of reckless driving, two counts of failure to give immediate notice of accidents and negligent use of a deadly weapon near Unser Boulevard and Zaragoza Road.

A caller reported a man wearing a ski mask was in the Walgreens parking lot on Southern Boulevard stabbing/slashing tires on a vehicle. The man left in a vehicle headed north on Unser.

Officers asked the owner of the vehicle if there was reason for a man to be stabbing their tires. The victim told police they had not dated recently, had not had any issues with friends. They also told officers they did not have any problems with coworkers.

Officers noticed a vehicle next to the victim's that was the same make and model in similar color. The victim told officers that a coworker was having problems with their boyfriend and that he could have mixed up the vehicles.

Officers asked the coworker if she had any issues with anyone lately or with any relationships, and she hesitantly told officers she wasn't having issues with her boyfriend, whom at the time was not identified.

Police received another call to Walgreens later that day. This time the call was for shots fired. Officers were advised that the same vehicle from earlier was leaving the scene after a man fitting the same description as earlier arrived and began shooting at the same vehicle. The license plate was confirmed by a photograph from the calling party.

Officers talked to the employees again. They were told their coworker, identified as Garza, was in the parking lot shooting at a vehicle. He was identified as the coworker's previously mentioned boyfriend.

She contacted Garza by phone and asked him what was going on and what he was doing. According to her, he stated, "It's none of your business" and "Not to worry about it." When officers asked for a location, Garza hung up.

According to the coworker, Garza went to the Walgreens to bring her belongings. Another employee approached the officers, letting them know his car was hit by Garza as he left the parking lot. The employee said he was traveling on Unser Boulevard when Garza's vehicle came up behind at a high rate of speed, then attempted to squeeze between his vehicle and another, causing damage to the side of his car. He photographed the suspect and followed him to Walgreens. He said he never saw the suspect leave the car but saw him drive into the victim's car and shoot two times in the driver's side window.

Garza's girlfriend then told police Garza had been having some issues with stress recently. She said he had been aggressive but never physically violent with her. She said they had an argument about his job on the phone. She said he arrived in her neighborhood a short time later, intoxicated and driving. She told officers she feared Garza would continue to drive intoxicated due to their argument, so she advised him to stay at her residence. She said the next morning they left with no conflict.

The victim and her coworker had hung out a couple of times before the incident. The victim told officers the friendship between her and Garza was unhealthy. She said that about two weeks before the incident, they were "hanging out" when Garza "tracked" them and aggressively approached them and began taking pictures of them. She said this is when she began having issues with him and told him they would "keep it professional" at work but that she didn't want any contact with him.

A third incident that day was also tied to Garza, this time a hit and run at True Value on Southern Boulevard. The caller was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene as they were attempting to get to Raising Cane's. The accidents were caught on surveillance, and officers were able to tie all events to Garza.

If convicted, Garza will face more than three years in prison.