New Mexico
Police search for suspect in fatal shooting of police officer in eastern New Mexico
TUCUMCARI, N.M. (AP) — Multiple law enforcement agencies searched Friday for the suspect in the fatal shooting of a state police officer killed on Interstate 40 in eastern New Mexico.
The victim was identified as New Mexico state police officer Justin Hare, 35, the governor’s office said in a statement Friday afternoon.
The shooting occurred early Friday morning near mile marker 320, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of the Texas state line, the state Department of Public Safety said.
The suspect was last seen on foot wearing a brown hoodie and jacket on the I-40 Frontage Road between Montoya and Newkirk, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Tucumcari, state police said in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The suspect is armed and dangerous, do not approach, call 911 immediately,” police said.
KOAT-TV reported the officer was doing a welfare check on the interstate after spotting a vehicle pulled over onto the shoulder of the traffic lanes before the shooting occurred.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement: “It’s a tragic reminder of the dangers our law enforcement officers face each time they put on a uniform and report for duty.”
Cabinet Secretary Jason Bowie said it was a “sacrifice no one should have to make.”
“Officer Hare will never be forgotten, and his sacrifice safeguarding our state is worthy of the highest honors,” he said.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Enter your email and we’ll send a secure one-click link to sign in.
KRQE NEWS 13 is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
KRQE NEWS 13 is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — An ‘imposter nurse’ in Las Cruces is facing 34 charges after nearly causing the death of a patient and illegally giving medications to patients under 18 years old.
A Doña Ana County grand jury indicted Margarita Gonzalez. She is accused of assuming the identities of nurses in Texas to get hired at four nursing facilities in Las Cruces:
- Village at Northrise
- Las Cruces Wellness and Rehabilitation
- Peak Behavioral Health
- Matrix Home Care
The New Mexico Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Bureau investigated and discovered instances where Gonzalez illegally gave injections and dispensed prescriptions, including narcotics to eight inpatient residents under 18 years old.
An investigation also found Gonzalez was also about to allegedly give “an incorrect insulin dose” to a patient that they claim could’ve killed the patient if another nurse hadn’t caught the error.
Several facilities fired Gonzalez over patient safety concerns and an observed lack of knowledge.
“Impersonating a healthcare provider is a reckless and selfish crime that subjects those most vulnerable to risk of serious injury or death,” Attorney General Raúl Torrez said. “I will not tolerate those who risk the safety of patients or cause danger and unnecessary confusion within the healthcare system. These charges should keep anyone attempting to pose as a healthcare provider on notice: we will find you, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law to protect New Mexicans.”
Gonzalez’s charges include identity theft, nursing without a license, abuse of a resident, distribution of controlled substances to a minor and fraud totaling over $25,000.
If convicted on all counts, Gonzalez could face up to 100 years in prison.
-
Kansas4 minutes agoKHP says 135 spill was human waste
-
Kentucky10 minutes agoWhich Kentucky Derby horses are running in the 2026 Preakness Stakes?
-
Louisiana16 minutes agoLouisiana National Guard troops return to Washington for Trump task force
-
Maine22 minutes agoA top issue in Maine and Oklahoma governors’ races? Tribal sovereignty. – ICT
-
Maryland28 minutes agoMaryland Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for May 13, 2026
-
Michigan34 minutes agoPuppies, prom and pancakes: What to do in West Michigan this weekend
-
Massachusetts40 minutes agoBattenfeld: Have Massachusetts voters finally had enough of soft on crime?
-
Minnesota46 minutes agoCaribou Coffee in Minnesota launches value menu