SAA event in United States of America on Sun 9th June 2024

An Española police officer fatally shot a man in a Walgreens parking lot Sunday, marking at least the second shooting by the agency’s officers this year.

The wounded man, 28-year-old Jeffrey Martinez of Canjilon, was pronounced dead at an Española hospital following the incident.

Statements from police suggest Martinez was suspected of driving a stolen vehicle and he was attempting to get away from officers when one of them shot him. But Española police and New Mexico State Police, which is investigating the incident, differ in their descriptions of the series of events leading to the fatal shooting.

According to both accounts, Española police arrived at the Walgreens on Riverside Drive around 6:15 p.m. Sunday in response to another officer’s report of a stolen Jeep SUV in the parking lot.

While two officers were approaching the vehicle, according to a news release from Española police Chief Mizel Garcia, the driver “attempted to flee,” crashing into the Walgreens building as well as another vehicle and striking one of the officers.

State police said in a news release Tuesday that when an officer approached the vehicle, the passenger door opened, and a man fled from the vehicle. An officer began giving verbal commands to the driver, later identified as Martinez, and “at some point during the encounter, the officer discharged their duty weapon, striking Martinez,” the news release states.

State police said no officers were injured, while Garcia said one officer was injured in the crash and treated at the scene.

Martinez suffered one gunshot wound, according to Garcia. Officers aided him until paramedics arrived and took him to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Officials at both agencies declined to provide more details.

State police said in its news release the agency will not identify the Española police officers involved in the incident.

Garcia also declined to name the officers but said both were placed on standard paid administrative leave and his agency will conduct an investigation into the incident after the state agency finishes its probe.

“New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau agents are working to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the district attorney for review,” the state police news release states.

Española officers shot and injured a man in January after he ran from a traffic stop and fired at them, according to state police.

Brandon Archuleta, 29, of Española was airlifted to a hospital in Albuquerque for treatment. Garcia said at the time “multiple shots were exchanged” between Archuleta and the officers.

In the weeks before the Sunday shooting in Española, police accused Martinez of battering his girlfriend and stealing her SUV in Santa Fe.

Martinez faced a felony charge of car theft as well as allegations of physical abuse in a domestic violence case. During the evening of June 1, his girlfriend alleged in a petition, Martinez slapped her to the ground and choked her before stealing her Jeep Compass along with a shotgun from her home east of the city.

Martinez also faced charges accusing him of violent crimes in Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties going back about 10 years.

In 2020, he pleaded guilty to several counts of aggravated battery against a police officer.

He was accused of striking several police cruisers while leading Rio Arriba County deputies on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle on U.S. 84/285 south of Española.