The Roswell Police Department was involved in an officer-involved shooting
Tuesday (Oct. 15) shortly after 3 p.m. near the intersection of West Country Club Road and
North Kentucky Avenue.
The incident began when RPD officers attempted to arrest Louie Joseph Archuleta, 28, when he
pulled into the parking lot of the Candlewood Suites hotel on Military Heights Drive. The
officers had been following and surveilling Archuleta before he drove into the hotel parking lot.
Archuleta was wanted on charges of receiving stolen property; conspiracy to commit receiving
stolen property; tampering with evidence; conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence;
abandonment or abuse of a child (three counts); conspiracy to commit abandonment or abuse of
a child (3 counts); resisting, evading, obstructing an officer; felon in possession of a firearm; and
negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor (three counts).
Archuleta fled in the vehicle he was driving and was involved in a crash with another vehicle a
short distance away at West Country Club Road and North Kentucky Avenue, which is where
Eastern New Mexico Medical Center is located. Archuleta then fled on foot to the east with
officers in pursuit. Officers were able to observe that Archuleta was holding a handgun while he
was driving and when he fled on foot.
During the foot pursuit, Archuleta’s actions resulted in multiple RPD officers firing shots at
Archuleta, who was struck by one or more of the shots. He was immediately transported into the
nearby hospital, where he died.
No officers were injured. The driver was the only occupant of the other vehicle involved in the
crash, and that driver was not injured.
The New Mexico State Police is conducting the investigation of the officer-involved shooting.
Portions of West Country Club Road and Military Heights Drive have been closed as the
investigation takes place.