A MAN SUSPECTED IN A CAR THEFT CASE IS ON THE MEND AT U-N-M-H AFTER BEING SHOT BY A SANTA FE POLICE OFFICER LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. STATE POLICE ARE NOW INVESTIGATING THE SHOOTING, WHICH HAPPENED JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT. NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE SPOKESMAN EMMANUEL GUTIERREZ SAYS IT STARTED WHEN THE OFFICER SPOTTED THE VEHICLE, WHICH MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION OF ONE REPORTED MISSING EARLIER THURSDAY. POLICE TRIED TO STOP THE DRIVER, 25 YEAR OLD ROBERTO MENDEZ OF SANTA FE, FROM LEAVING THE PARKING LOT. HE REFUSED TO GET OUT OF THE 2003 FORD EXPLORER AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, RAMMING ONE OF THE POLICE CARS. HE THEN DROVE TOWARD THE OFFICERS AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. THAT'S WHEN OFFICERS OPENED FIRE. A SHORT PURSUIT FOLLOWED, BEFORE THE DRIVER STOPPED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF CERRILLOS ROAD AND SILER ROAD. THERE WAS ANOTHER MAN IN THE S-U-V, AS WELL AS TWO FEMALES AND A FOUR YEAR OLD BOY. THE OTHER MAN TRIED TO FLEE ON FOOT BUT WAS QUICKLY ARRESTED. POLICE SAY THE INVESTIGATION IS ON-GOING.
