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Las Cruces-Area Officer Involved Shooting Under Investigation

    A multi-agency task force is investigating an overnight shooting involving a 46-year-old male and a Doña Ana County Sheriff’s deputy.

Just after midnight Thursday, residents in the area of Berry Patch Lane and Isaacks Avenue called 911 to report hearing what sounded like multiple gunshots. A patrol deputy was dispatched to the area and made contact with a suspicious vehicle.

According to detectives, a male subject – later identified as Zach Barela – exited the vehicle and reportedly fired a shotgun towards the deputy. The deputy returned fire, and Barela fled on foot.

Barela was located a short time later, with the assistance of the Las Cruces Police Department K-9 unit. He was taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department for questioning and then to the Doña Ana County Detention Center. He currently faces charges of attempted first-degree murder (willful and deliberate), aggravated assault on a peace officer, and shooting at or from a motor vehicle.

 No injuries to the suspect or the deputy were reported.

 During the investigation, detectives learned that Barela was reportedly driving on a suspended license for failure to pay child support.

The deputy, who is not being identified at this time, is a four-year veteran of the sheriff’s department. Per department policy, the deputy has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending an internal investigation.

The incident is under investigation by the Officer-Involved Incident Task Force, which includes investigators with the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department, the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and New Mexico State University Police.

Information from Dona Ana County