Las Cruces family loses minivan in chase that led to officer-involved shooting

Following Saturday’s chase which led to a deadly officer-involved shooting in Las Cruces, a local family learned the target of the chase had stolen their minivan.

Aguilar said he abandoned the vehicle on Friday after it stalled during a heavy rainstorm.

“We were gonna let the rain settle down a little bit, then we were going to come and pick up the van,” Aguilar said.

But when he and his mother returned, it was gone.

“We reported it stolen and everything, and a couple hours later they called my mom saying it was on a high-speed pursuit,” said Cesar Aguilar, who owned the van.

Aguilar has four children and five nieces and nephews. He told ABC-7 that his family relied on the van to take the children to and from school and doctor’s appointments.

“My mom relied on that van, I mean that was hers,” Aguilar said. “You see all the grandkids that she had.”

Aguilar said the Las Cruces Police Department offered to put them in touch with a crime victims assistance organization, but that they’re not getting their van back.

“It’s weird because I never thought it would ever happen to me,” Aguilar said. “That somebody was going to steal the car off the side of the highway, you know. But I guess it did happen and it just, it was unbelievable.”

If you’d like to donate to help the family get a new van, you can use this GoFundMe link.