Police involved shooting
Caleb A. Gallegos/News-Sun
LOVINGTON – Lovington Police officers were involved in a shooting incident on Sunday and New Mexico State Police are now investigating it.
A Lovington officer shot at 37-year-old Luis Raul Bernal-Alvarez of Lovington after police attempted to stop the suspect from fleeing the scene in an SUV.
Bernal-Alvarez was charged with aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officers, and two counts of resisting, evading, or obstructing an officer, and is being held at the Lea County Detention Facility.
On March 3, LPD officers responded to a call for an unwanted subject on the 200 block of West Avenue O.
According to the press release issued by the State Police, when LPD officers arrived on scene, officers saw Bernal-Alvarez leaving the residence.
According to the report, LPD officers knew Bernal-Alvarez had an active warrant for failure to appear.
LPD officers gave Bernal-Alvarez commands he disobeyed, and he fled to a GMC Yukon SUV and tried the leave the scene.
Two LDP officers attempted to remove Bernal-Alvarez from the SUV, while trying to place the SUV in park as Bernal-Alvarez accelerated and continued to drive away.
Officers were forced to release Bernal-Alvarez during the altercation to avoid being dragged further.
According to the NMSP press release, a least one officer fired at least one shot from his gun.
Officers pursued Bernal-Alvarez until he crashed through a barbed wire fence, striking a tree near East McDonald Road in Tatum.
According to the report, Bernal-Alvarez attempted to flee on foot after crashing the SUV, but was tased and subdued by LPD officers.
Bernal-Alvarez sustained minor injuries from crashing the SUV and was taken to Nor-Lea for treatment.
According to the NMSP press release, Bernal-Alvarez did not suffer any injuries consistent with a gunshot.
Bernal-Alvarez is also facing charges for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in Nov. 13, 2023, which is expected to start trial Aug. 20.
The New Mexico State Police Investigation Bureau agents are working independently to determine the series of events leading to the shooting.
