By KRWG News
Las Cruces – A Las Cruces Police officer attempting to pull over a pickup believed to be involved in a home burglary was fired upon by at least one of the two suspects inside the vehicle.
The officer was not injured and was able to take the driver of the vehicle into custody.
Shortly before 12:30 p.m. Friday, April 1, police received information that witness interrupted a home burglary at a residence on the 900 block of Mountain Avenue. Preliminary information leads officers to believe that the witness was confronted by three men, one of whom appeared to be armed with a handgun.
After the men fled from the interrupted home burglary, a Las Cruces Police officer spotted the pickup believed to be involved in the incident and attempted to stop it on the 1700 block of Calle Sosa. The driver of the pickup was detained but one of the two passengers pulled a handgun and started firing at the officer.
One of the passengers of the pickup then got into the driver's seat and drove about a block before the two suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. The identity of the suspect who was detained is not being released at this time.
The suspect who was armed is described as Hispanic, 5-feet-7-inches tall with visible tattoos along his neck. He was wearing black pants and a white shirt. The second suspect is said to be a black male 5-feet-9-inches tall. He was wearing a white T-shirt and a navy blue hoodie.
As a precautionary measure several grade schools a daycare and at least one church in the neighborhood were placed on a temporary lockdown. Students from Loma Heights Elementary and Booker T. Washington Elementary will be released to their parents, or allowed to board busses, shortly after classes are excused for the day.
Anyone with information on who may have been involved in this incident is asked to call 911, or Las Cruces Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Anonymous tips can be sent via text message to LCTIPS (528477).