Northeast Heights shooting suspect back in jail after returning to neighborhood

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – More than a month after someone shot through their car windshield, garage door, and the bedroom of their one-year-old son – Ethan and Melia Grant are still picking up the pieces.

On top of that, they worry the man who police say is responsible, Ryan Heun, continues to come back to their Northeast Heights neighborhood, even though a judge ordered him not to.

After a judge let Heun out of jail in late February, he agreed to stay out of the Northeast Heights neighborhood where he’s accused of shooting at multiple homes.

An APD representative says police and crisis intervention officers have been back to Heun’s father’s house near Spain and Juan Tabo a couple of times this month, including just hours after Heun skipped court Friday.

“I went over to the house on Friday, just to talk to the father of Ryan. He’s been really gracious and helpful,” Ethan said.

Grant says shortly after his home was targeted, he had reached out to Heun’s father who he says does not want his son back in the neighborhood either.

“I didn’t know he was out of town, and Ryan was in the house. I did have a conversation with Ryan,” said Grant. “I was like ‘Ryan, what are you doing here man? You need to be,’ because he was supposed to be in like, a recovery center to get, you know, recover from his situation. I was like, ‘Ryan, this is not going to be- this is not where you need to be to get help.’ And he kept telling, he’s like ‘I’m fine, I’m fine.’” 

Grant called police, but Heun was gone by the time they arrived. 

Crisis intervention officers arrested Heun Monday – at the same house – for failure to appear in court and criminal damage to property.

State prosecutors are now asking that Heun’s release conditions be taken away, and that he stay locked up until trial.

“I’m unsure of like what those conditions are like, for someone like him and just needing treatments and real help, I believe is what he really needs,” said Melia Grant. 

Even with the holes in their home and shards of broken glass that remain in their car and driveway, the Grant family says their biggest concern is for Heun’s well-being.

Heun’s attorney agrees.

“I want to have comprehensive, compassionate mental health care available for everyone, right? And we just don’t have that infrastructure right now, and that’s why we see people like Ryan falling through the cracks,” said Sarah Pepin, the supervising attorney.  “What I will try to do is convince the judge to do what we always do, which is piece together the best care that is available, given the resources that we have.”

Heun was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center Monday afternoon, and at last check, he’s still behind bars. 

A judge ruled April 7 to keep Heun behind bars until treatment is in place. He is expected to go on trial in October.