Artesia police officer on leave after shooting man police said shot and killed another

This story is developing and the Carlsbad Current-Argus will provide more information as it is made available.

It remained unclear Friday if charges were to be filed against a man who allegedly shot and killed an Artesia man outside the Artesia Public Safety Complex Thursday.

Mark Rommel, 42, of Artesia was found dead at the scene, read a news release from New Mexico State Police.

The shooter, whose identity was not released to the media, was shot by Sgt. Christopher Gallegos with the Artesia Police Department at the complex while responding to the incident.

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Gallegos was immediately placed on leave, said Artesia Police Cmdr. Pete Quinones, and sent to speak with a psychiatrist.

“It’s in our policy to do it,” Quinones said. “I don’t know how long it would be until we bring him back. They are under investigation by the New Mexico State Police. They need to take care of that first. We make sure everything is good and well to come back to work.”

New Mexico State Police was investigating the incident as an officer-involved shooting.

The shooter was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries not believed life-threatening, read a State Police news release.

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Police said the incident occurred at about 9 a.m. Oct. 12 when the two men had a “dispute” in the parking lot of the public safety complex.

More: One killed, another injured in Artesia police shooting outside public safety complex

Rommel was shot multiple times by the shooter who first brandished a firearm, police said.

Gallegos fired at least one round at the shooter, injuring him, State Police said.

State Police were working with the Fifth Judicial District Attorney’s Office to investigate the incident and determine if any charges would be filed against the officer involved.

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During the initial, on-scene investigation the Artesia Public Safety Complex was closed to the public.

The complex houses the Artesia Police Department, Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, Artesia Fire Department, Artesia Municipal Court, New Mexico State Police and the New Mexico Probation and Parole.

The complex was reopened at 8 a.m. on Friday.

This was the second police shooting reported in Artesia in about a month, after Brandon Sevier, 23, was shot and injured after police said he fired at them during a foot chase on Sept. 28 in an alley near Dallas and 7th streets.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Police identify man killed in Artesia shooting. Officer on leave