State police fatally shoot man near Fort Sumner

FORT SUMNER — New Mexico State Police officers fatally shot a man Sunday outside of Fort Sumner, who was suspected in a shooting earlier that day.

Andy Lucero, 48, was pronounced dead in a field approximately 20 miles west of Fort Sumner, according to a release from NMSP Officer Ray Wilson.

According to Wilson’s release, as well as a criminal complaint filed Monday:

• State police officers were called to a residence in Fort Sumner Sunday morning in reference to a restraining order violation and attempted homicide incident. Lucero was alleged to enter the home of an ex-girlfriend, where an altercation ensued. According to the criminal complaint, The ex-girfriend said Lucero “had been calling her and leaving her messages on her cell phone and house phone” and that Sunday around 7 a.m. she saw him “trying to get into her residence through the glass sliding door using a shovel.”

• The ex-girlfriend told a responding officer that Lucero “put a silver handgun against the right temple of her head” while her son was in the room before he put the gun down and left the house.

• During the altercation, a friend of the ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Hoy, drove up to the house, having been called by relatives to check on her, records show. Hoy was arriving as Lucero was leaving, the ex-girlfriend told officers, and “observed Mr. Lucero fire numerous rounds from a silver in color handgun into Ms. Hoy’s vehicle and saw him flee the scene.”

• Hoy was transported to a Lubbock hospital. Police do not believe the injuries were life-threatening.

• Investigating agents with the state police searching for Lucero were alerted to a fire. They found two structures and what they believed to be Lucero’s blue and white truck on fire.

• Through investigation, agents tracked Lucero to a field where they believed him to be. Agents made contact with Lucero and shots were fired.

• Agents and officers were unharmed during the incident. Personnel involved in the shooting are on standard administrative leave. Reasons for the shots fired are still being determined.

Wilson said the incident remains under investigation.