Las Cruces police offer new details on last month’s shootout that killed man, wounded 3 officers

Las Cruces police Chief Patrick Gallagher offered new details Wednesday on a shootout last month near the Home Depot in which a man was killed and three law enforcement officers were injured.

Chief Gallagher delivered what at times was a very emotional statement, showed police video of the shooting and answered questions at the East Mesa Public Safety Complex. (Watch the entire news conference in the video player below)

Gallagher said events unfolded in the early morning hours of June 17 with what he called the “attempted assassination” of one of his officers. He said a local business owner reported a suspicious person, and responding officer Anthony Harrison shined his vehicle spotlight onto the man — who fired at the officer through his windshield before fleeing on foot.

At least one bullet struck Harrison in the upper chest, near his neck, but he survived the attack and was cleared to return to duty on Wednesday.

State, local and federal agencies on the 17th responded to the reports that Harrison had been shot and injured, and helped in the search for the gunman, who was later identified as 35-year-old Francisco “Paco” Tarin.

Gallagher said Border Patrol agents using infra-red cameras help locate Tarin. Law enforcement officials, including the Border Patrol agents, fired at Tarin and fatally struck him after he shot at authorities. It remained unknown exactly which officer from what agency fired the deadly shot, the chief said.

In all, two Las Cruces police officers and a Dona Ana County sheriff’s deputy suffered non-life threatening injuries during exchanges of gunfire with Tarin.

Gallagher said Tarin had repeated run-ins with police, detailing a 17-year criminal history that included a 9-year prison sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He also showed police photographs of Tarin’s gun used in the shootout, which was recovered from the scene.