LAS CRUCES, NM – A tragic incident unfolded on Sunday evening in Las Cruces, New Mexico, when a local police officer lost his life to a violent attack. The officer was fatally stabbed by an individual he was investigating for trespassing. In a twist of events, the assailant was subsequently shot dead by an onlooker present at the scene.
Patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez was responding to a trespassing complaint on South Valley Drive around 5 p.m. when he was assaulted. The Las Cruces Police Department revealed that Hernandez was stabbed at least once during the incident.
A bystander who witnessed the attack quickly used Hernandez’s police radio to summon help. Despite being rushed to MountainView Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces, Hernandez succumbed to his injuries.
The alleged attacker, a 29-year-old male, was fatally shot by the same witness who had called for help. The police have withheld the suspect’s identity until his family can be notified.
Hernandez, originally from El Paso, Texas, had been serving the Las Cruces community as a police officer for two years. The Las Cruces Police Department plans to release more details about the incident later in the week.
Las Cruces is situated approximately 223 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and 46 miles northwest of El Paso, Texas.