According to sources, including KRQE, State Police Officer, husband and father of 3, Darian Jarrott, was killed while assisting in a homeland security investigation in Deming, NM on February 4th.
A statement from NM State Police, Jarrott initiated a traffic stop with a white, Chevrolet truck on I-10. As Officer Jarrott approached the vehicle, the occupant, Omar Felix Cueva, fired at least one shot, killing Officer Jarrott, then fled the scene in his truck.
A 40 minute chase continued on I-10 following a homeland security officer finding Officer Jarrott deceased. Eventually, a state police cruiser managed to stop the vehicle by ramming into it after a failed attempt to pop the truck tires early down the highway.
You can see in the following video that Cueva then exited the vehicle and began firing at State Police, who returned fire, ultimately injuring Cueva bad enough that medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
One Las Cruces Police Officer was injured on the scene, but was airlifted to a Texas trauma hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries where he was treated and released.
The following video is footage shot by a bystander watching the end of the high speed chase. The video is graphic, so viewer discretion is advised.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of State Police Officer Jarrott and asked for prayers for his family as they face the difficult days ahead.
