State police investigating Española police shooting

Mar. 29—New Mexico State Police are investigating a shooting incident Tuesday night in Española in which, they said, local police shot a suspect who was armed with a rifle.

Española police received reports at about 7 p.m. of a Ford F-150 truck parked in the road, blocking traffic in front of the Century Bank on North Riverside Drive, state police said in a news release Wednesday.

Responding officers found the truck facing the opposite way of traffic. The driver, 56-year-old Hilario Baca of Velarde, was armed with a rifle, according to the release.

Baca raised his rifle at officers approaching the vehicle and ignored commands from police to drop the weapon, state police said. One of the responding officers fired his gun at Baca, striking him at least once.

Baca was brought to a local hospital and later airlifted to one in Albuquerque. State police said his condition is unknown and referred all questions on the charges Baca will face to the Española Police Department. The Española officers were not injured, state police said.

Española police Chief Mizel Garcia did not respond to a request for comment on Baca's charges late Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, Garcia said he could not provide details on the incident until state police "complete their part" of the investigation. He confirmed two officers have been placed on paid administrative leave but declined to provide their names until they are interviewed by state police.