Suspect shot by police allegedly threw Molotov cocktail at Farmington officers
Injured suspect is being treated at area hospital
- Farmington Police Department officers were dispatched around 9:47 a.m. to the 1000 block of Glade Lane on reports of a man with a gun who battered residents and broke into neighboring apartments.
- He is accused of stepping outside the apartment and throwing a Molotov cocktail at the officers, who then fired at the man.
- Investigators are asking anyone with information on the Jan. 20 incident to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 505-334-6107.
FARMINGTON — The man shot by Farmington police officers on Jan. 20 poured gasoline on himself and later threw a Molotov cocktail at officers, who responded by firing their weapons at him.
Farmington Police Department officers were dispatched around 9:47 a.m. to the 1000 block of Glade Lane on reports of a man with a gun who they were told battered residents and broke into neighboring apartments, according to a Farmington police press release.
Farmington Police Department spokesperson Nicole Brown told The Daily Times the suspect is not being identified at this time. He is being treated at San Juan Regional Medical Center.
She added the department doesn’t typically release the name of suspects involved in law enforcement shootings for a few days to allow their family to be notified.
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The man barricaded himself inside an apartment and broke out the windows as officers arrived on scene.
He threw the firearm and the magazine from the gun outside one of the broken windows and while inside the apartment poured gasoline on himself, .
The man stepped outside the apartment, threw a "gas bottle" then retreated back inside, the release stated.
He is accused of stepping outside a second time and throwing a Molotov cocktail at the officers, who then fired at the man.
He was transported to the hospital’s Emergency Room for treatment. No other injuries were reported from the incident.
Farmington firefighters eliminated fire hazards at the scene.
Vehicle traffic was closed along Glade Lane near the scene.
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The San Juan County Regional Officer Involved Shooting Task Force is handling the investigation. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office will take the lead as the primary investigating agency.
The task force is comprised of investigators from the Aztec, Bloomfield and Farmington police departments along with the Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico State Police.
Farmington officers were involved in a Dec. 14 “multi-agency officer involved shooting” in the roadway of West Murray Drive, where a man was killed by law enforcement officers.
Law enforcement said he was a suspect who allegedly beat up a woman with a firearm and later pointed the gun at a man’s head during a police standoff.
The suspect in the Dec. 14 law enforcement shooting has still not been identified by authorities.
Investigators are asking anyone with information on the Jan. 20 incident to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 505-334-6107.
Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.
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