New Mexico state Rep. Michelle Paulene Abeyta encountered a suspect holding a gun on the side of the road in To’Hajiilee, leading to two Navajo Nation officers being shot and taken to UNM Hospital, along with the suspect. Abeyta, who spoke to KOAT near the crime scene on Friday afternoon, expressed concern for her safety, saying she was worried the suspect might shoot at her vehicle.”I was concerned because I had already received the warning that he was shooting at other vehicles. So my goal was just to get past him safely and to make sure I notified law enforcement,” she said.To’Hajiilee, part of the Navajo Nation, is a satellite community located over 100 miles from the nearest Navajo law enforcement substation. Abeyta noted, “The jurisdictional issues that my community faces out here in To’Hajiilee are complex.”Abeyta explained the challenges of being far from Navajo Nation law enforcement, which has jurisdiction but lacks agreements for other law enforcement agencies to assist in emergencies. “We’re very familiar that Navajo Nation has sole jurisdiction out in our community. However, the uncertainty lies with how soon they’re able to respond to actual emergencies, if someone’s already on duty in the area, or if they will be commuting from the 100-mile away police station,” she said.Abeyta said she looks forward to collaborating with community and law enforcement leaders on solutions for faster response times and community safety in the state legislature, including long-term solutions like cross-commissioning agreements and funding agreements to ensure adequate resources in rural communities.She emphasized the community’s vigilance, stating, “This community has never backed down from looking out for one another. And when they see something, they report it.”Abeyta highlighted the significance of the area where the incident occurred, noting, “This exact area is actually where the buses stop and pick up students every day.” As of Friday evening, both unidentified officers who were shot were transported to University of New Mexico Hospital and are in stable condition.”Our community’s prayers and good thoughts are with them as they recover after this incident,” Abeyta said. A male suspect was injured and also transported to UNMH. His condition is unknown. The FBI will lead the investigation, and there are no outstanding suspects.
New Mexico state Rep. Michelle Paulene Abeyta encountered a suspect holding a gun on the side of the road in To’Hajiilee, leading to two Navajo Nation officers being shot and taken to UNM Hospital, along with the suspect.
Abeyta, who spoke to KOAT near the crime scene on Friday afternoon, expressed concern for her safety, saying she was worried the suspect might shoot at her vehicle.
“I was concerned because I had already received the warning that he was shooting at other vehicles. So my goal was just to get past him safely and to make sure I notified law enforcement,” she said.
To’Hajiilee, part of the Navajo Nation, is a satellite community located over 100 miles from the nearest Navajo law enforcement substation. Abeyta noted, “The jurisdictional issues that my community faces out here in To’Hajiilee are complex.”
Abeyta explained the challenges of being far from Navajo Nation law enforcement, which has jurisdiction but lacks agreements for other law enforcement agencies to assist in emergencies.
“We’re very familiar that Navajo Nation has sole jurisdiction out in our community. However, the uncertainty lies with how soon they’re able to respond to actual emergencies, if someone’s already on duty in the area, or if they will be commuting from the 100-mile away police station,” she said.
Abeyta said she looks forward to collaborating with community and law enforcement leaders on solutions for faster response times and community safety in the state legislature, including long-term solutions like cross-commissioning agreements and funding agreements to ensure adequate resources in rural communities.
She emphasized the community’s vigilance, stating, “This community has never backed down from looking out for one another. And when they see something, they report it.”
Abeyta highlighted the significance of the area where the incident occurred, noting, “This exact area is actually where the buses stop and pick up students every day.”
As of Friday evening, both unidentified officers who were shot were transported to University of New Mexico Hospital and are in stable condition.
“Our community’s prayers and good thoughts are with them as they recover after this incident,” Abeyta said.
A male suspect was injured and also transported to UNMH. His condition is unknown.
The FBI will lead the investigation, and there are no outstanding suspects.
