Off Duty FBI Agent Shoots Woman’s Stalker

An FBI agent is under investigation for the shooting of a man who pulled a gun on a woman in an Albuquerque, N.M. last Saturday night.

Albuquerque, Police Department, (APD) Spokesman Simon Drobik said a woman called 911 at around 8 p.m. to report being followed by a stalker.

Perhaps seeking the safety of a crowd, the woman fled to the Nexus Brewery off I-25 near Montgomery.

But, her stalker, ex-boyfriend 43-year-old Cody Wrathall, was undeterred by the presence of other people in the restaurant and followed in behind her.

Wrathall confronted the unidentified victim and pulled out a gun.

“Off-duty federal agents saw an individual brandish a firearm inside,” Drobik said, “They returned fire to stop his action to protect the female. That individual was shot by the federal agency.”

Drobik declined to say how many off duty FBI agents were involved in the shooting but confirmed there was at least one who fired. Detectives had no shortage of witnesses who saw the attack occur inside the crowded establishment.

The spokesman went on to say that they will be working closely with the FBI during the investigation but are treating it like any other case because the agents involved were off duty at the time of the shooting.

“The federal authorities also should be putting out information here shortly if they are involved in it,” Drobik said.

Wrathall was an equine veterinarian employed at South Valley Large Animal Clinic in Salt Lake City, UT, some 600 miles North of Albuquerque.

Dr. Beau Beck, a co-owner of the clinic told KRQE:

“Dr. Wrathall was both a great employee and veterinarian for us. He was a great family man. He spent a lot of time with his three children,” said Beck. “Just a great employee, a great person and a great family man and that’s what we hope people will remember about him.”

KRQE also reports that Wrathall had no criminal history in New Mexico, and only a few speeding tickets in Utah. Police have not yet released a motive in the altercation nor any reason why he was so far from home.

Getting involved in a dangerous situation like that of a domestic disturbance carries with it a host of considerations which should be carefully thought over, before it occurs.

Going over scenarios in your mind on how to properly react to a self-defense situation can significantly improve decision making abilities during a high stress event.

This FBI agent did a remarkable job defending the innocent while in a crowded restaurant. No one except Wrathall was injured in the shooting which is more difficult to do than it may seem.

Read here for an article by Riley Bowman on “How to Defend Yourself in a Large Crowd.”

What do you think of this defensive shooting? Leave a comment below to let me know.