sa国际传媒官网网页入口

The Las Cruces Police Department has identified the man fatally shot by officers during a narcotics investigation last week.

David Gallegos Jr., 45, was killed by two narcotics agents surveilling him.

Gallegos was suspected of having and selling 鈥渓arge quantities of methamphetamine,鈥� LCPD Chief Jeremy Story said at a Wednesday news conference.

The two agents are part of the Metro Narcotics team 鈥� a multi-agency unit involving  LCPD, New Mexico State Police and the Do帽a Ana County Sheriff鈥檚 Office. The team is composed of 12 law enforcement agents, Story said. The FBI also has members on the team.

LCPD spokesperson Dan Trujillo would not provide the names of the officers involved or identify their parent agencies. It鈥檚 unclear which agencies the two agents represent.

On April 24, agents followed Gallegos to a Las Cruces McDonald鈥檚 near the 2300 block of east Lohman Avenue as part of the investigation, Story said. 

Agents bought narcotics from Gallegos multiple times as part of the investigation, and law enforcement had 鈥渃redible information鈥� that he was in possession of narcotics on Friday.

Surveillance footage released by LCPD showed Gallegos leaving the fast-food restaurant when agents arrived around 2 p.m.

鈥淰ideo evidence shows Gallegos reach for his firearm as the agents exited their unit,鈥� states a Wednesday news release from LCPD. 鈥淥ne of the agents announced they are law enforcement and discharged his firearm shortly after Gallegos reached for the gun tucked in his waistband.鈥�

Footage shows at least one agent open fire at Gallegos and lapel footage shows the suspect reach toward his pocket as agents approached. Story said that the time between when the agent said 鈥減olice department鈥� and the first shot fired was approximately 1.87 seconds. 

鈥淔rom the time the suspect鈥檚 hand is clearly visible without the firearm until the first shot, approximately point-233 seconds elapse,鈥� he added.

Trujillo said 鈥渁t least one shot鈥� was fired by agents. Officers attempted life-saving measures on Gallegos, but he died at the scene, according to the release.

鈥淭he firearm Gallegos was carrying, a loaded 9mm handgun, fell to the ground and was recovered by police,鈥� the release states. 鈥淎 search warrant conducted on the Dodge pickup Gallegos was driving uncovered 1.13 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 500 fentanyl pills and 20 grams of powdered fentanyl.鈥�

Gallegos had been arrested 28 times in the past, with 15 of those cases occurring in New Mexico. At the time of the shooting, Story said, he was a convicted felon on probation in a Texas case involving charges of unlawfully carrying a deadly weapon, drug trafficking and evading an officer. 

LCPD said the shooting remains under investigation. 

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.