4 NMSP officers on leave after fatal Taos shooting

Four New Mexico State Police officers have been placed on administrative leave following an officer-involved fatal shooting in Taos.

The shooting occurred March 14 after a high-speed chase that began in Española.

State police shot and killed Jeramiah Medina, 31, after they say he shot at an officer once the chase ended.

No officers were injured.

State police Officers Edward Archie, Malik Mathews-Gordon, Christopher Romero and Sgt. Marco Oviedo have been placed on leave, which is standard procedure following an officer-involved shooting.

State police said Medina shot at Mathews-Gordon.

Mathews-Gordon and Romero fired at Medina, but it’s unclear which officer’s bullets struck Medina, state police said.

The chase began when state police tried to pull over Medina’s vehicle around 4:20 p.m. on Rio Arriba County Road 57.

Medina made a U-turn on N.M. 291 and drove north on N.M. 68, where state police called off the chase because of road conditions and traffic.

Archie spotted Medina’s vehicle a short time later and reengaged the pursuit. Medina’s vehicle came to a stop after driving over tire deflation devices and crashing into an embankment.

As Oviedo approached the vehicle, Medina drove toward him, state police said.

Oviedo fired his shotgun at the vehicle, which continued north on N.M. 68.

The chase ended when Archie and another officer used a pursuit intervention technique. Medina’s vehicle came to rest on its roof.

State police said Medina brandished a handgun while his vehicle was overturned and shot at Mathews-Gordon. That’s when Mathews-Gordon and Romero opened fire.

Medics took Medina to Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, where he later died.