By Gregory Hasman
Source Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
A 33-year-old man from Albuquerque was killed during a shooting in Roswell involving three police officers early Wednesday (May 15) morning.
According to a Roswell Police Department Facebook post, about 3 a.m., New Mexico State Police stopped a pickup — driven by a man later identified as Faustino Carrete Jr. — that had been "weaving recklessly" across southbound U.S. 285 going toward Roswell.
The post states he then fled and traveled as fast as 100 mph before State Police stopped its pursuit.
Police said RPD and the Chaves County Sheriff's Office unsuccessfully tried to stop Carrete, a convicted felon, before RPD deployed stop sticks as he drove south on North Main Street. Carrete got out of the pickup and ran before hiding in a tire pile.
The Facebook post states Carrete, who is a convicted felon, refused to obey an officer's commands to come out. Instead, Carrete shot the officer in the lower leg. Two other officers who came to the aid of the wounded officer returned fire and fatally hit Carrete multiple times.
Police said the officers will be placed on paid administrative leave, and the case is being investigated by RPD and State Police.
"I commend the officers of the Roswell Police Department who go in to work day in and day out to make this a safer community," Roswell Police Chief Lance Bateman said in a statement. "These officers came face to face with a convicted felon with a firearm."
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