LCPD: Officers found gun in vehicle of murder suspect killed in shooting

For the first time, the Las Cruces Police Department addressed the media regarding Friday’s homicide investigation, which led to a high-speed chase and deadly officer-involved shooting Saturday.

“Any time an officer uses force, let alone a deadly force, is not something we want to do,” said LCPD Chief Patrick Gallagher.

Police said 23-year-old Nathaniel Montoya fatally shot his friend, 29-year-old Abraham Gomez, in the back on Saturday. Montoya fled the scene, abandoning his vehicle and ultimately stealing a minivan, according to the department.

“We looked for Montoya the rest of the evening and did not find him,” Gallagher said.

However, Gallagher said another officer spotted the murder suspect at around 5 p.m. on Saturday. The officer tried to stop him, but the suspect fled the scene, taking Las Cruces police officers on a high-speed pursuit. Gallagher said he at one point drove the wrong way on Lohman.

According to the department, Montoya entered the Valero gas station on Lohman and struck a pedestrian, giving him minor injuries. An officer then shot Montoya in the stolen van, killing him.

“The officer felt in fear of his life,” Gallagher said.

Later, officers discovered a.22 caliber magazine-fed rifle between the seats, Gallagher said. The stock and the barrel of the gun was sawed off. There was one round in the rifle.

The seven-year veteran of the department who fired the deadly shot was not wearing a body camera, Gallagher said. He is on paid administrative leave, which is standard protocol following an officer-involved shooting.

Gallagher could not speculate on how long the investigation would take place.

“We have a homicide investigation coupled with an officer-involved shooting investigation with a lot of overlap,” Gallagher said. “This is a little more complicated than most investigations.”