Family identify man killed in shooting, vigil planned

EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS STORY HAS BEEN CORRECTED TO STATE FAMILY, NOT LCPD, IDENTIFIED THE MAN KILLED IN A SHOOTING.

Family identified the man killed in the officer-involved shooting Friday as 36 year-old Josh Dunne.

It happened Friday evening before 5 p.m. at the Sleep Inn on 2121 South Traviz Drive.

According to police, it started when two officers were trying to communicate with Dunne who they believed to be suicidal. Dunne had barricaded himself in a room on the third floor of the hotel. After officers tried to negotiate with him for several hours, the SWAT and hostage negotiation teams were called out to the scene.

Police said Dunne was uncooperative and that around 10:30 p.m. shots were fired and he was struck at least once. He was taken to Memorial Medical Center where he later died.

No officers were injured but two officers will be place on administrative leave during the investigation, which is standard procedure for the LCPD in an incident like this.

Dunne was a veteran and a player in the Mesilla Valley soccer league. He was a former referee who was hoping to go back from playing to overseeing matches.

According to the Las Cruces Sun-News, Dunne had PTSD and had recently received a service dog from America’s VetDogs.

A vigil for Dunne was held Sunday in front of the Health and Social Services building on the NMSU campus.

A gofundme account has been opened to support the family.