Tattoo shop owner gunned down inside shop in Downtown Albuquerque

Nov. 14—The owner of a well-known tattoo shop was shot to death inside the business Thursday morning in Downtown Albuquerque.

No suspects have been identified in the death of 41-year-old John "Bale" Sisneros Jr., the owner of Por Vida Tattoo, said Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos.

Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers released a photo later in the day of a person of interest in the shooting walking down Iron SW.

Friends, family and loyal customers of the shop gathered in the street as news spread of Sisneros' death. Within hours, many shared photos of the alleged shooter to Facebook trying to identify the person.

Gallegos said around 8:30 a.m., officers responded to a call of a shooting at the shop at 500 Fourth SW, near Coal. When they arrived, Sisneros was found dead with a gunshot wound.

Police were going to look at surveillance from the shop and nearby businesses in an attempt to find who is responsible, Gallegos said. Police were still waiting on a search warrant to scour Por Vida Tattoo for evidence.

"He created a safe place for us to be at," Lenna Van Buren, a longtime customer, said of Sisneros and his business. "This can't be real."

Sisneros originally opened a tattoo shop in Rio Rancho in 2006 and moved to the Downtown area, expanding the business to include a tattoo supply store, coffee shop, shoe store and barber shop.

Sisneros also put on New Mexico Tattoo Fiesta, an annual event that celebrates the art form.

In July, when interviewed about the fiesta, Sisneros told the Journal he became an artist by accident.

"It wasn't like I decided to do it as a career," he said. "I started doing it more as a hobby and it just kind of ended up being my career."

Erica Romero, having heard good things about Sisneros' work, went to Por Vida Tattoo on Thursday morning to get a consultation for a tattoo.

"I thought I'd give it a chance," she said.

When Romero arrived, there was a crowd of people standing outside the building and emergency sirens could be heard approaching. Soon, the entire area was crowded with police vehicles and investigators.

"It's just so crazy," Romero said.

Tim Cummins, who knew Sisneros through the Masonic Lodge, said he couldn't believe it.

"When we asked who were up-and-coming in the business community, (they said) he was one of those guys," Cummins said. "He was just so excited about life and just such a good heart and a smart business guy. I'm just so impressed with him and (I'm) overwhelmed by the fact that he is gone."

Cummins said he last saw Sisneros at a lodge meeting Wednesday night. Sisneros took a photo with Cummins and several members before leaving.

"The guy had so much life and wanted to do the right thing," Cummins said.

A half-hour before the shooting, Sisneros posted a story to his Instagram: a photo of his breakfast at the shop — an omelet topped with avocado slices and some fruit. Sisneros set Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's "Foe tha Love of $" for the music.

Anyone with information on the case or the person of interest shown in the photo is asked to call 505- 843-STOP (7867), go to p3tips.com/531, or text "ABQCS" to 738477.