State police: Suspect wounded in shooting involving Santa Fe police

Nicholas Gilmore and Daniel J. Chacón, The Santa Fe New Mexican
·2 min read
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Apr. 24—A wounded suspect was hospitalized Wednesday after a shooting that involved Santa Fe police officers, New Mexico State Police wrote in a news release.

The state agency is investigating the incident at Harrison Road and Cerrillos Road, the news release states. The intersection is the site of the Interfaith Community Shelter at Pete's Place.

"Officers are ok," the release says. "Suspect was shot and transported to an area hospital. Details limited. More information via press release when available."

Police closed Cerrillos Road to traffic Wednesday afternoon, according to an alert the city of Santa Fe issued at 3 p.m.

A bicyclist who was denied entry to the shelter by a police safety aide at Harrison Road and Rufina Street indicated the wounded person frequented the shelter and expressed concern about their well-being.

A man who lives near Harrison Road and Rufina Street, which police have blocked off, said he saw "a couple of police cars come screaming by" around 2 p.m. "One of my neighbors said she heard a bunch of gunshots," said the man, who declined to provide his name.

The man said it's "really bad" to live near the homeless shelter, where he witnesses drug usage and drug dealing on a regular basis. "Just, like, the last week it's gotten crazy because there's people all over the place," he said. "They block the street and they're just constantly shooting up drugs and doing drugs with aluminum foil with a jacket or blanket over their head."

The man said the warmer weather has increased activity around the shelter. "I talk to some of my neighbors and they're saying they're, like, calling the police all the time. I mean, like, a couple times a day," he said. "But I kind of quit because I can't waste all that time calling the police constantly."

The man, who has lived in the neighborhood since 2006, said the city needs to take action. "They need to, like, not concentrate it all in one location," he said, referring to the homeless shelter. "They need to, like, spread out and they need a bigger place for what they're doing there. They need to have a building that has area around it so there's a buffer zone."

This is a developing story. Check back for more details.