Aztec man shot after allegedly charging at sheriff's deputies with knife

An Aztec man remains in custody in an Albuquerque jail on Sept. 25 after being shot by San Juan County sheriff’s deputies three days earlier when he allegedly charged at them with a knife.

Abel Soto, 43, was shot at approximately 3 p.m. on Sept. 22 in Aztec by deputies from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office who had been trying to serve a warrant at a residence in the 1200 block of N.E. Aztec Boulevard for felon in possession of a firearm. According to a news release, deputies approached the residence at approximately 2 p.m. and attempted to call the suspect out, but he refused.

An hour later, Soto allegedly exited the residence while brandishing a knife and was shot several times by deputies with nonlethal bean bags, but he refused to drop the weapon, the release states. At that point, two deputies fired at him, striking the suspect.

Soto was transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, where he was treated and released, the release states. He was booked into the Albuquerque Metropolitan Detention Center on two felony warrants, including a warrant out of Colorado. He was charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer in connection with the Sept. 22 incident.

The shooting is being investigated by the San Juan County Regional Officer Involved Task Force. The two deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Farmington Police Department, the primary investigating agency, at 505-599-1068.

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This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Abel Soto shot twice by deputies at residence in Aztec on Sept. 22