Police address officer involved shooting

A Las Cruces police officer whose name has yet to be released was involved in a shooting that occurred on March 13 in downtown Las Cruces.

Alleged suspect Gabriel Padilla was charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer, negligent use of a deadly weapon and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.

According to a Las Cruces Police Department press release from March 14, the unnamed officer was dispatched after receiving a call that a man, believed to be Padilla, was armed with a gun in the 500 block of South Main Street.

At a press conference held by the Las Cruces Police Department on March 20, Police Chief Jeremy Story spoke about the call details.

“This call came in as a subject with a gun call that was placed at approximately 6:53 p.m. on March 13, by a security guard who was working at 507 South Main, mesa parking lot where the Peter Piper is on South Main,” Story said.

Story said, according to the call, the suspect was running towards Main Street with a gun in his hand. The suspect was described as wearing blue pants and a gray shirt.

“He (the caller) also said the subject was pointing the gun. He was not sure exactly who he was pointing it at and that he believed he fired it twice,” Story said.

Once the dispatched officer arrived, he exited his car and announced himself as the police. Padilla ignored him and continued to walk away, ignoring the officer’s command, according to the body camera footage.

In recorded body cam footage, the officer yelled at Padilla, commanding him to stop.

Padilla then ran on foot south on Main Street while the officer yelled at him to “come here” and “stop reaching” as the officer chased him through the parking lot.

According to Las Cruces Police Lieutenant Peter Bradley, the suspect was shot in the back.

“The round that shot the individual was located in the lower back above the right buttock,” Bradley said.

In the body camera footage, the suspect fell to the ground and a firearm was in his hand. The officer kicked it away. The footage also shows the suspect balled up on the ground before laying on his back with one arm on his chest.

The officer told Padilla to roll on his stomach before three officers arrested the suspect, according to the Las Cruces police body cam footage.

According to police records, the firearm is a .45 caliber 1911 handgun.

Padilla has no previous police records, but Story said at the police conference that they have dealt with Padilla in the past where he allegedly spoke about being gang affiliated.

“We obviously, after the fact, know his history had some interactions with law enforcement, especially with the sheriff’s department. The escalation, especially recently with, you know, potentially firearms use, saying he wanted to have gang affiliation things like that, that are in reports with the Sheriff’s department,” Story said.

Padilla was detained and transported to a local hospital where he is currently in stable condition and healing from the wound.

Las Cruces police believe there may have been witnesses at the time and is urging them to come forward by calling 575-526-0795.

Cutlines: credit: Juan Corral

Photo 1: Las Cruces Police Department hold a press conference on March 20 in relation to the officer involved shooting on March 13. The incident left one suspect, Gabriel Padilla, in the hospital with a lower back wound.