Two deputies injured, hospitalized after car chase and shooting

UPDATE 9/4/21: New Mexico State Police have released the name of the man shot and killed by law enforcement in Valencia County yesterday afternoon, following a car chase and shots exchanged between officers and the man.

Jose Angel Baca, 28, of Los Lunas, has been identified as the man who is accused of shooting and injuring one Valencia County deputy and firing at two other deputies and an NMSP officer, resulting in a shrapnel injury to one of the deputies.

According to a press release put out by the state police on Saturday, Sept. 4, at the time of the incident, Baca had been recently released from probation for aggravated battery upon a police officer resulting in great bodily harm, battery on a household member, and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer during arrest.

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(Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 9/4/21 to include information from the Los Lunas Police Department about crashes on N.M.6/Main Street resulting from the car chase.)

Two Valencia County sheriff’s deputies are in the hospital tonight after a call about a suspicious vehicle turned into a pursuit and shots fired by law enforcement and a suspect.

At about 3 p.m., today, Friday, Sept. 3, a deputy was dispatched to the area of mile marker 19 on N.M. 6 west of the village of Los Lunas. When the deputy arrived, he found a Honda Civic, as well and a man and a woman.

New Mexico State Police Chief Tim Johnson said during a press conference this evening the exact details of the contact between the deputy and the two individuals are still being investigated.

“We’re looking into that piece to figure out exactly what happened, but at some point, it appears gunfire was exchanged between the male subject and the deputy,” Johnson said.

The deputy was struck at least once by gunfire, and the man and woman fled in a white Dodge pickup truck. The deputy alerted dispatchers at the Valencia Regional Emergency Communications Center about the incident, and a short time later, additional VCSO deputies and Los Lunas police officers located and began pursuing the truck driving east on N.M. 6 through Los Lunas.

State police officers in the area heard the radio traffic and assisted in the pursuit. The driver of the Dodge turned north onto N.M. 314, eventually losing control of the vehicle and crashing near Davila Road, Johnson said.

After the crash, the woman got out of the truck and ran east on foot, the chief said, and the man began shooting at the two Valencia County Deputies and NMSP officer at the scene.

The three officers returned fire, killing the suspect. At this time, Johnson said it is unknown which officer fired the fatal shot.

“We won’t know that until we’ve done trajectory at the crime scene, other analysis,” he said.

One of the two VCSO deputies involved in the shooting on N.M. 314 was injured by shrapnel and, along with the deputy shot on N.M. 6, was taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

The woman has been detained and is being interviewed, Johnson said, but her name and that of the dead suspect aren’t being released at this time. She hasn’t been charged with a crime and law enforcement still needs to notify the deceased’s family, the chief said.

The chase through town caused several crashes along Main Street, Johnson said, which are being handled by the sheriff’s office and Los Lunas Police Department.

LLPD Chief Naithan Gurule said there was one crash involving four vehicles caused by the pursuit.

“One person went to the hospital later in the evening and was diagnosed with a concussion,” Gurule told the News-Bulletin Saturday morning.

Valencia County Sheriff Denise Vigil said she was grateful for the assistance of the state police and LLPD.

“My prayers are with the deputies and their families. They will never be the same,” Vigil said. “They are expected to just continue on, but they’ll never, ever be the same.”

The two Valencia County deputies brought the total number of law enforcement officers injured in New Mexico today to three, Johnson said. A Dona Ana County sheriff’s deputy sustained minor injuries from bullet fragments after responding to call of shots fired earlier today.

“I just want to wish the best to the two deputies that were injured today, the one officer in Las Cruces earlier today, to the sheriff and her department, the families of the deputies and to my officer, who probably won’t ever be the same, as you aren’t after these types of incidents,” Johnson said. “Four (Albuquerque Police Department) officers were shot two weeks ago. I am beyond disgusted with the violence we’re seeing in the state.”