Woman shot in Las Cruces, suspect arrested after shootout and chase end with crash near NMSU

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - A man is accused of shooting a woman and leading police on a chase that ended in a crash in Las Cruces Friday afternoon.

Police told ABC-7 it started with a domestic dispute at about 5:30 p.m. on the 700 block of Shannon Street, not far from Lynn Middle School and Young Park.

Officers were called out for a report of a gunshot victim. Police said they found a woman with at least one gunshot wound. She was airlifted to University Medical Center of El Paso in critical condition. She has not been identified.

The woman was able to tell officers the identity of the man who shot her and a description of the vehicle he used to drive away. Police said the suspect was 34-year-old Julian Valenzuela.

Soon after, a Las Cruces police officer found him and tried to pull him over near the 2000 block of South Espina Street.

The man is accused of shooting at least once at the officer. Police said the officer fired back at least one time.

Police said Valenzuela tried to drive away and crashed with another vehicle at the intersection of South Espina Street and University Avenue, which is right next to New Mexico State University.

A woman who was there told ABC-7 she heard gunshots after the crash. The witness captured video of Valenzuela being taken into custody, which you can see in the video player above.

Another person who was there captured another video of him on the ground near one of the cars that crashed. In the clip, you can hear what appears to be him screaming in pain as he's surrounded by officers. The video is at the top of the article.

Police have not said what's Valenzuela's health condition. They also have not revealed if he was shot, or if any officer or other people were hurt.

ABC-7 viewer Rene Gallegos captured audio from a police/first responder scanner. You hear a first responder saying a 27-year-old woman was shot in the abdomen and leg.

Valenzuela is accused of Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer, Aggravated Fleeing a Law Enforcement Officer, and other charges.

The Doña Ana County Officer-Involved Incident Task Force is investigating this shooting.

Witnesses or anyone with information about what happened is asked to contact the Las Cruces
Police Department at 575-526-0795.