Clovis man fatally shot

A state police officer was defending himself when he fatally shot a Clovis man Sunday, a police spokesman said Monday.

Capt. Jimmy Glascock of the New Mexico State Police said Benjamin Selgado, 29, was crouching behind a wall in a parking lot at the La Vista Inn on Mabry drive when he pointed a gun at the approaching officer.

Selgado was shot three times, Glascock said. He died at the scene. The incident happened shortly before 1 p.m.

Glascock said state police officer Bryan Conner, a nine-year veteran, clocked Selgado traveling 62 mph in a 35 mph zone on Seventh Street and attempted to pull him over. Glascock said a pursuit ensued and Selgado exited his vehicle while it was in motion near First and Sycamore Streets and ran south.

Selgado climbed over a fence into the La Vista Inn parking lot and hid behind a wall, police said.

Glascock said the officer pursued Selgado on foot, drawing his sidearm after climbing the fence. Glascock said when Conner rounded the corner of the wall Selgado had a revolver aimed at the officer.

Conner fired three shots and hit Selgado in the chest and upper body, Glascock said.

Glascock said Selgado did not fire his weapon, which as recovered at the scene.

Matthew Lopez, 28, of Clovis, said he didn't know why his brother ran away from the police. Maybe, he said, his brother was afraid of going back to prison.

"He always told us, 'I don't want to go back,'" he said.

Selgado has a long criminal history that dates back to 2003.

Glascock said an arrest warrant was issued for Selgado in May for a felon in possession of a firearm and trafficking of a controlled substance.

Glascock said Conner is on paid administrative leave following the department's policy on officer-involved shootings. He said Conner had no history of officer-involved shootings.

Glascock said at least one witness has been interviewed at the scene and police have obtained a search warrant to search Selgado's car.

He said the investigation is being completed, but did not say when a report will be sent to the district attorney's office.

Lopez described his brother as a fun-loving guy who was not a violent man.

"If someone needed two dollars and that was his last two dollars, he would give it," he said.

Geraldine Lucero of Clovis, Selgado's sister-in-law, said the shooting should not have happened.

"(The officer) could have been taken different steps," she said. "It wasn't right for him to shoot to kill."

Glascock said officers are trained to use deadly force to stop a threat and save a life, in this case the life of the officer and other people who was around.

"I think in this case when a deadly weapon is exposed and pointed at you that's what dictates the response," he said.