By Gregory Hasman
Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. — A Las Cruces man wanted on a probation violation was killed in a noon shootout with a New Mexico State Police officer north of Truth or Consequences on Tuesday.
Dennis Jones, 75, was pronounced dead at the scene on N.M. 181, NMSP spokesperson Ricardo Breceda said in a news release Wednesday, updating the incident.
According to the police, an officer pulled over Jones around 12:10 p.m. after running his license plate and finding that Jones was wanted in Arizona on a probation violation in connection with a sexual assault case.
Police said during the traffic stop, “an altercation ensued,” and the officer fired at least one shot from his pistol at Jones, who stayed in his pickup truck and fled onto N.M. 181.
“The officer caught up to the vehicle, which had stopped in the middle of High Winds Road ,” Breceda said in the release. “The officer gave commands to Jones, who then began firing at the officer. The officer returned fire with his duty-issued rifle. After the exchange of gunfire, officers approached the vehicle and located Jones unresponsive.”
The officer, whose name won’t be released until interviews are completed, was not injured. He has since been put on administrative leave, which is standard.
Both the Miami Police officer and the driver were hospitalized in the incident, which began when the driver struck the officer with his car, the department said
The event was sponsored by the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund, which supports the families of NYPD and FDNY heroes killed in the line of duty
“Come for one of us & you’ll have the full force of the NYPD coming for you,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said while announcing the arrest of the second suspected mugger
At one point, members of the crowd posed for selfies with a tagged LAPD cruiser; one officer required medical attention after being struck in the face with a bottle
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