TUCUMCARI, N.M. — A New Mexico state police officer was fatally shot on Friday as he conducted a welfare check on a vehicle pulled over on the shoulder of Interstate 40 in eastern New Mexico, authorities said.
Multiple law enforcement agencies searched Friday for the suspect, identified as Jaremy Smith, 32, of Marion, South Carolina. The vehicle driven by Smith at the time of the shooting has also been tied to a death in South Carolina, authorities said.
Smith remained at large Saturday evening.
The victim in Friday’s shooting was identified as New Mexico state police Officer Justin Hare, 35, the office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said, according to the Albuquerque Journal reported. Hare, who lived in the Quay County city of Logan, grew up in Moriarty, just east of Albuquerque, according to the Quay County Sun.
New Mexico State Police said that Hare was shot around 5 a.m. on I-40 west of Tucumcari in Quay County, according to a tweet from the agency on X, formerly known as Twitter. Hare had been dispatched to the area to assist a stranded motorist.
An NMSP officer has been shot and killed on Interstate 40 near mile marker 320. Suspect last seen wearing a brown hoodie and jacket. Scene is still active. Details are limited. Anyone with information is asked to call State Police. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/jzETgrvGXi
— NMSP (@NMStatePolice) March 15, 2024
Troopers said that Smith had a flat tire and was attempting to wave down other motorists when Hare parked behind his vehicle, KOAT-TV reported.
Hare offered to give Smith, who had approached the officer’s passenger side window, a ride into town. After a brief exchange, Smith allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the officer without warning.
CNN reported that Smith then walked to the driver’s side and shot the officer again before pushing Hare into the passenger seat and driving away in the patrol vehicle. The vehicle was discovered abandoned a short time later.
The mortally wounded Hare was found dumped on the frontage road of I-40. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
UPDATE: @NMStatePolice has identified the man accused of killing Officer Justin Hare. They say a warrant has been issued for Jaremy Smith of Marion, South Carolina.
— KOB 4 (@KOB4) March 16, 2024
Smith is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. If seen, call NMSP at (505) 425-6771 or… pic.twitter.com/1BsoazBGPZ
“The last words that officer uttered on this earth was an offer to help the man who was about to kill him,” state police Chief Troy Weisler said in a video message posted to Facebook. “I am disgusted and I am sickened by the actions of this cold-blooded murderer. We are bringing every resource to bear to bring Officer Hare’s killer to justice, and we will not rest until that is done.”
State police have issued an arrest warrant for Smith, charging him with first-degree murder, armed robbery, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, tampering with evidence, felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and criminal damage to property, KOAT reported.
The owner of the vehicle with the flat tire belonged to a woman who was found dead in Lake View, South Carolina on Friday night, according to WMBF-TV.
In a statement, Tammy Erwin, spokesperson for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, said that the body was identified as Phonesia Machado-Fore, a paramedic from Pee Dee, according to the television station. It was unclear how Smith gained possession of the vehicle.
“Mrs. Fore was one of us, a fellow first responder,” Marion County Sheriff Brian Wallace said in a statement. “Her death is senseless. Our community has suffered a tremendous loss. My team and I will not stop until we bring the person or persons responsible for her death to justice.”
During a news conference on Friday, Lujan Grisham said that Hare’s death “has to be an incredibly painful and horrific time for family and friends.”
According to the Journal, State Public Safety Secretary Jason Bowie called the incident on the New Mexico interstate “shocking news to everyone who knew and worked with Officer Hare.”
“My heart is with his family, colleagues, and friends,” Bowie said in a statement. “We all owe a great debt to the men and women of law enforcement, who daily put their lives on the line to protect the lives, property and rights of New Mexicans, visitors and those passing through our great state.
“Officer Hare will never be forgotten, and his sacrifice safeguarding our state is worthy of the highest honors.”
In a Facebook post, the Tucumcari Police Department wrote that “last night our world felt shattered.”
“To many of us, Officer Justin Hare was more than a powerful asset; he was a friend and a mentor,” the department wrote. “To lose such a hero in this way ... we have no words.”
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