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Ontiveros had pulled over a man for a traffic violation on
Memorial Day. Authorities said the man refused to roll down his
window or provide identification. After negotiations failed,
officers opted to arrest him and broke a window to take him into
custody.
The man subsequently began shooting, hitting Ontiveros and
narrowly missing a second officer at the scene. That officer
returned fire, striking and killing the suspect. Authorities
said the man had a record that included previous arrests for
assault, trespassing, resisting an officer and threatening
hospital staff.
Ontiveros, 33, previously worked for the Farmington Police
Department and was a volunteer firefighter for the neighboring
community of Aztec. A GoFundMe page was set up to help his
family.
“In his short time with the agency, he demonstrated kindness,
professionalism, and dedication to the safety of the community
he served,” Bloomfield Police Chief Phillip Francisco said
Sunday in a social media post.
Ontiveros had joined Bloomfield police in December. Francisco
asked for the community's support as the department navigated
what he called a tremendous loss.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham also mourned the loss of the
officer.
“His death is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers our law
enforcement officers face every single day,” she said in a
statement Sunday.
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