Man accused of fatally shooting New Mexico State Police officer captured

The man accused of fatally shooting a New Mexico State Police officer was captured on Sunday, authorities said.

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Jaremy Smith, 32, of Marion, South Carolina, was captured after a shootout with Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies on Sunday, KOAT-TV reported. He is accused of killing New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare, 35.

Smith was wounded during the exchange of gunfire, according to the television station. The shooting took place near Dennis Chavez Boulevard SW and Unser Boulevard SW in Albuquerque, just after 8 a.m. local time Sunday, KOAT reported.

Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said during a news conference that Smith was spotted by a store clerk at a Murphy’s Express station around 7 a.m. Sunday, according to the television station.

“The clerk’s description matched that of Jaremy Smith. Deputies located Smith walking on Unser, and they immediately started to establish a perimeter,” Sheriff Allen said.

“During this time as they had an eye on Mr. Smith, a foot pursuit ensued,” Sheriff Allen said. “Shots were fired. Some shots strike Smith, we don’t know the amount right now or how many, that’s still under investigation. But Smith was then taken into custody without further incident.”

Smith was hospitalized for his injuries, police said. His condition was unknown.

Hare, a father of two, lived in the Quay County city of Logan and grew up in Moriarty, just east of Albuquerque, according to the Quay County Sun.

Smith is also considered a person of interest in connection to the death of South Carolina paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore, according to WBMF-TV. She was reported missing on Thursday and her body was found Friday night in Lake View, South Carolina, according to the television station

New Mexico State Police said that Hare was shot around 5 a.m. Saturday on Interstate 40 west of Tucumcari in Quay County, according to a tweet from the agency on X, formerly known as Twitter. Hare had been dispatched to the area to assist a stranded motorist.

Troopers said that Smith had a flat tire and was attempting to wave down other motorists on I-40 when Hare parked behind his vehicle, KOAT reported.

Hare offered to give Smith, who had approached the officer’s passenger side window, a ride into town. After a brief exchange, Smith allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the officer.

CNN reported that Smith then walked to the driver’s side and shot the officer again before pushing Hare into the passenger seat and driving away in the patrol vehicle. The vehicle was discovered abandoned a short time later.

Hare was found on the frontage road of I-40. He was taken to an area hospital, where he later died at 7:21 a.m. Friday, state police said in a statement. He graduated from the police recruit school in 2018, according to CNN.

Smith has an “extensive” criminal history dating back decades in his home state and has ties to the Albuquerque area, New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler said at a Saturday news conference.

No deputies were injured during Sunday’s incident between Smith and deputies, KRQE-TV reported.

“We said we would bring Jaremy Smith to justice. There was nowhere he could run, that there was nowhere he could hide,” New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler said, according to KOAT. “Today, thanks to our community, to our fellow law enforcement partners, we were able to do that.”

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