LAS CRUCES, N.M. — A New Mexico police officer got back up and returned fire after being shot by the alleged killer of a state trooper, newly released lapel-camera footage shows.
The video, which was posted online, shows Las Cruces police officer Adrian De La Garza perform a pit maneuver to stop the suspect during a pursuit after the suspect was accused of killing New Mexico State Police Trooper Darian Jarrott during a traffic stop, KFOX 14 in El Paso, Texas, reported.
De La Garza is seen shot by suspect Omar Felix Cueva and falling to the ground, but he quickly gets up and continues firing at Cueva until he reaches the suspect’s car. Cueva was killed during the shootout with officers, Law Officer reported.
In the video, fellow officers provide initial medical aid to De La Garza, according to FOX.
“You’re all right, you’re all right, you’re gonna be all right,” they tell the officer before he is airlifted to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Previously, dashcam video of Jarrott’s shooting and bystander video of the shootout after the pursuit had been released.
Bystander video shows the police shootout, left, after the pursuit and State Police Trooper Darian Jarrott, right, who was killed by Omar Felix Cueva, according to police video footage. (Austin Contreras via Storyful/New Mexico State Police)
Cueva was accused of shooting Jarrott multiple times during the traffic stop in February with an AR-15-style rifle while he was on his way to Las Cruces for a drug deal, police said.
Afterward, the suspect led officers on a 40-mile chase on Interstate 10 that ended in the fatal shootout.
Police said Cueva had a “violent criminal history,” including drug charges involving cocaine and meth.
