Las Cruces Police release video, break down timeline of fatal shooting on Feb. 8

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- A 28-year-old man who fired on officers during a Feb. 8 shoplifting call had a lengthy criminal history and was out on bond at the time of the shooting, according to Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story.

During a Tuesday morning news conference at Las Cruces City Hall, Story played body camera, dash camera, surveillance and drone footage outlining what he described as three separate shooting incidents that unfolded in about 13 minutes along South Valley Dr.

Chief Story said Johnny Ray Morales entered the Walmart at 1550 South Valley Dr. at about 7:14 a.m., grabbed an unlocked bicycle and rode it out of the store without paying.

Store employees alerted an officer working approved outside employment at the store. The officer attempted to stop Morales less than a minute later.

The chief also addressed confusion about the officer’s status at the time of the shooting, emphasizing that outside employment means an officer is working in uniform and in a law enforcement capacity but is paid by a third party.

“He was not off duty as most people think,” Story said. “He was working, just not being paid by the city.”

Story said Morales fired two rounds directly at the officer during the initial encounter. The officer returned fire and fell to the ground, injuring himself. Morales then fled northbound toward nearby businesses.

“He’s holding the firearm presented directly at the officer,” Story said while showing a still image from body camera video.

Additional officers responded and encountered Morales between a Blake’s Lotaburger and an Enterprise Rent-A-Car location. Story said Morales fired at least one round during that second encounter.

Surveillance footage from Enterprise, as well as dash camera video from a Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office unit, showed Morales running behind a large dumpster, jumping a fence and moving east toward Valley Drive with a handgun still in his hand.

The third and final exchange of gunfire occurred at approximately 7:27 a.m., Story said. Morales was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police recovered a 9 millimeter handgun that had been reported stolen out of Truth or Consequences, Story said.

No officers were struck by gunfire. One officer was injured when he fell after shots were fired and is undergoing follow-up to determine the extent of his injuries.

Story said five Las Cruces police officers discharged their firearms. All involved officers have been placed on standard administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation and are undergoing required interviews and psychological evaluations.

Story detailed Morales’ criminal history, saying he had 20 documented law enforcement encounters before the age of 18 and at least 36 contacts as an adult with Las Cruces police and the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office. 25 of those contacts resulted in arrest, criminal citation or involved a weapon, including at least six involving a firearm, he said.

Morales had prior felony convictions, including felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen vehicle, child abuse and possession of a controlled substance, Story said. He had been arrested for probation or parole violations at least six times and had spent nearly five years in custody between 2020 and 2025.

At the time of the Feb. 8 shooting, Morales was out on a 2,500 dollar bond for charges of child abuse, felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm stemming from an August 2025 arrest. He had also been arrested in October 2025 for felony possession of a controlled substance and released the following day on an unsecured bond.

“I would not say it’s improved,” Story said when asked whether the system is effectively addressing repeat offenders. “If our system doesn’t take into account the entire history automatically, then that’s a problem.”

Story said officers had no meaningful opportunity to de-escalate once Morales began firing.

“There is no opportunity for de-escalation when you’re actively being fired upon,” Story said. “Had they dropped the gun, had they surrendered, the outcome would have been different.”

The Officer Involved Incident Task Force, which includes investigators from New Mexico State Police, the Las Cruces Police Department, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico State University Police, is continuing to gather evidence.

The case will be presented to the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office for review.

Story did not share a timeline for when the investigation would be submitted, citing the volume of video and other evidence still being collected.