A New Mexico state police officer was shot dead on a highway on Thursday and authorities pursued the attacker, killing him in a shootout, officials said.
The dead policeman was identified as Darian Jarrott, 28, KVIA-TV El Paso reported. Authorities also released the name of the dead attacker, Omar Felix Cueva, 39.
State Police said one of their officers was shot in Luna County, between Las Cruces and Deming, in a clash on Interstate 10 in southern New Mexico.
CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER, BRIAN SICKNICK, HONORED IN CAPITOL; BIDEN, OTHERS PAY RESPECT
The officer was identified as Darian Jarrott, 28
(New Mexico State Police)
They said several agencies chased the suspect’s vehicle to the Las Cruces area before there was an exchange of fire.
The suspect was killed and a Las Cruces police officer was shot.
The policeman was taken to a hospital in El Paso with injuries that were not fatal, according to Las Cruces police spokesman Danny Trujillo.
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State Police said they had limited information and two separate shooting scenes 30 miles apart to investigate.
The Las Cruces Police Department closed the interstate near the shooting site and told drivers to use a different route until the investigation was completed.
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New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered all flags of state buildings to be reduced to personal means from Friday to Tuesday to honor the state police officer who was killed in the line of duty.