Police helicopter dodges shots from accused 30-year-old gunman, New Mexico cops say

A 30-year-old man was arrested after being accused of firing a handgun at a New Mexico police helicopter, officials said.

Around 8:45 p.m. on March 6, Albuquerque Police Department personnel responded to calls of gunshots, according to a news release by the police department. A man “was seen firing a handgun from his balcony,” police said.

Officers arrived and saw the man step out onto his balcony, where he started to fire multiple rounds of ammunition toward the law enforcement helicopter above, officials said.

The helicopter had been called in to investigate the reports of gunshots, KOB reported.

The helicopter’s pilot “had to make maneuvers” to dodge the gunfire, according to police.

The pilot shut off the chopper’s lights to get his crew to safety, according to KOAT. No one was injured.

Officials said Air Support was able to get in touch with the officers on the ground to arrest the man.

Albuquerque police told KOB they got the man’s “information from his landlord, and compared his MVD photo to a picture a police drone operator took of him outside while responding to the shots fired call.”

The man, identified as 30-year-old Ryan Kolpin, was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on two counts of aggravated assault and negligent use of a deadly weapon, officials said.