ALGODONES, N.M. (AP) - Gunfire between an armed robbery suspect and New Mexico law enforcement officers Tuesday on Interstate 25 left a stolen truck and police vehicles shot up with bullet holes but no one was injured, a New Mexico State Police spokeswoman said.
Lt. Elizabeth Armijo said at least one State Police officer and at least one Santa Fe County sheriff’s deputy returned fire when the suspect shot at pursuing police vehicles on southbound I-25 north of Albuquerque.
The suspect was taken into custody after stopping on the freeway in Algodones, which is 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Albuquerque, she said.
The pursuit began just south of Santa Fe when a sheriff’s deputy spotted a pickup stolen earlier Tuesday morning during an armed robbery at a business in southern San Miguel County, Armijo said.
The pursuing officers returned fire because the suspect’s gunfire was putting their lives and the public in danger and needed to be taken into custody, Armijo said.
“It was a very threatening situation. The officers felt threatened. Their lives were in danger,” she said. “We are thankful we were able to take him into custody without any injuries.”
State police investigating the armed robbery had put out a bulletin alerting other law enforcement officers to look for the stolen truck, which was spotted about 90 minutes after the holdup, Armijo said.
Armijo told reporters at the scene the suspect was Lane Reed, a Texan in his mid- 20s. She did not immediately respond to a request for information on his hometown and possible criminal charges.
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