Raton, NM: Man killed in shooting with police in Raton

The incident occurs during a domestic violence probe.
Posted: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 12:00 am
By ANTHONY A. MESTAS | anthonym@chieftain.com |
RATON, N.M. — Police officers responding to a domestic violence call here Sunday shot and killed a Chicago man who allegedly shot an officer during a standoff.
Police identified the suspect as Anthony Higareda, 43. He died at the Miners Colfax Medical Center.
Raton Police Sgt. B.J. Holland was shot during the altercation and later released from the hospital with minor injuries.
Holland, a veteran officer, has been placed on paid administrative leave until an investigation into the shooting is complete.
According to a police report, officers were investigating a domestic violence call at about 3 p.m. Sunday at a home in the 300 block of North Third Street.
Juanita Armijo-Gallegos called Raton police to report a domestic dispute between her and Higareda.
Investigators learned at the scene that Higareda was a known felon, and he was in the house reportedly in possession of firearms.
Police said Higareda refused to cooperate with officers. Authorities tried to communicate with him for several hours, asking him to leave the premises, before deciding to enter the house.
The police report stated that upon entry, the suspect fired shots striking Holland resulting in police officers returning fire and the suspect being hit in the exchange.
Holland and Higareda were transported to Miners Colfax Medical Center, where Higareda died.
According to departmental procedure, the New Mexico State Police was asked to handle the shooting investigation. Criminal Investigations Bureau agents arrived at the crime scene and began piecing together the evening’s chain of events.
Agents will complete their investigation and submit findings to the district attorney’s office for review.