Officers fatally shoot suspect in Valencia County

Feb. 26—State Police says one of its officers and two Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies shot and killed a person of interest in "multiple homicides" following an overnight chase and standoff south of Belen.

The male — whose identity and age have not been released — was wanted on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a household member and had a violent criminal history, State Police said in a news release. The multi-agency pursuit began late Friday night, when the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office alerted State Police that the male was heading south on Interstate 25 in a maroon Ford F-350 pickup truck. State Police used tire deflation devices at milepost 195 near Belen to try to stop him.

"The driver of the Ford drove over the devices and continued to travel south on Interstate 25," the release said.

At one point, the male drove through Belen, drove the wrong way down an off ramp and began driving south in the northbound lanes of I-25.

A State Police officer used a "pursuit intervention technique," forcing the truck to roll in the dirt shoulder of the highway, where BCSO SWAT officers, Belen Police Department officers and State Police converged, according to the release.

"Officers gave the male driver numerous commands to exit the vehicle and surrender peacefully," the release said. "At some point during the encounter, two BCSO deputies along with the New Mexico State Police officer discharged their department-issued firearms toward the male subject. The male subject was struck by gunfire at least once."

State Police said officers rendered aid to the male, but he died on scene.

State Police and the Office of the Medical Investigator are working to positively identify the male, the release said.

The northbound lanes of I-25 were closed for several hours following the incident, but began to reopen at about 9:45 a.m.

This story will be updated.

Journal photographer Adolphe Pierre-Louis contributed to this story.