LAGUNA, N.M. – A police chase that began west of Los Lunas, New Mexico turned fatal after ending near Laguna, N.M.
Valencia County Sheriff’s Deputies were pursuing a vehicle travelling on State Road 6, just west of Los Lunas. The deputies terminated their pursuit after the vehicle made its way onto Interstate 40, travelling westbound, according to New Mexico State Police Public Information Officer Dusty Francisco.
As the vehicle continued heading westbound a New Mexico State Police officer recognized the vehicle from a description put out by VCSO. The NMSP officer turned on his emergency lights and attempted what the state police call a “high-risk felony traffic stop.” Instead of coming to a stop, the suspect sped off, and NMSP initiated a pursuit of the vehicle.
The driver merged from the westbound lanes to the eastbound lanes of I-40; the NMSP officer then attempted a Pursuit Intervention Technique, commonly referred to as a PIT maneuver, to try and bring the vehicle to a safe stop. The maneuver was unsuccessful, and the vehicle continued eastbound.
Near milepost 126 the vehicle took an exit where he turned around and drove back on to I-40 going westbound.
An officer with NMSP who had been assisting with the pursuit deployed stopsticks near milepost 120. The sticks did little to slow the vehicle which continued to travel westbound. Another officer, further up the road, deployed more stop-sticks at milepost 116.
With blown out tires the vehicle continued to travel westbound for two miles before NMSP was able to use a successful PIT maneuver. Officer Francisco said that the vehicle crashed into a cable barrier in the median of the interstate near milepost 114.
NMSP, assisted by Laguna Tribal Police officers, were able to see that there was a single male suspect in the vehicle. Both law enforcement agencies began to give commands to the man, ordering him to “surrender peacefully.”
A Laguna Tribal Police Officer fired a “less-lethal” beanbag round at the suspect through a window after law enforcement noticed the driver moving around the inside of the vehicle.
NMSP said that “at some point” the suspect inside the vehicle allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot at officers through the windshield. At this point a NMSP officer fired his departmentissued firearm at the suspect.
After the gunfire, officers continued to give orders for the suspect to remove himself from the vehicle; the suspect continued to ignore the commands. The police were able to visually identify a rifle in the lap of the suspect.
A Laguna Tribal Police officer fired a “less-lethal” beanbag, the second one fired by Laguna officers, at the suspect. There was no response from the suspect. Officers attempted to get closer to the vehicle and noticed that the suspect was “unresponsive.”
According to Officer Francisco, a Laguna Tribal Police officer took the rifle off the lap of the suspect and other officers attempted to render medical assistance. Emergency Medical Service providers were contacted to come and help further.
The male suspect died at the scene, according to law enforcement officials.
The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau is investigating the entire incident. Officer Francisco said that no names, of any officers or the suspect, will be released at this time. No officers were injured during the alleged incident, Francisco said that all the information in this case is still preliminary and that the investigation remains ongoing.
The Cibola Citizen will continue to follow this story as more information becomes available.