Jose Chavez (Police Officer)
Jose Chavez (Police Officer)
Officer Jose Chavez was a police officer with the Hatch Police Department in Hatch, New Mexico, a village in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. He had a wife and two young children.
He was a two-year veteran of the Hatch Police Department and a 2013 graduate of the Dona Ana County Sheriffs Department Cadet Law Enforcement Academy.
Murder by Jesse Hanes
On August 12, 2016 Officer Jose Chavez was fatally shot by, Jesse Hanes, a wanted fugitive during a traffic stop in Hatch, New Mexico. James Nelson II was also in the car with Jesse Hanes. Both men were wanted in the murder of Theodore Timmons in Londonberry in Ross County, Ohio on July 25, 2016. [2] [4]
Officer Jose was rushed to a hospital after the shooting and died following surgery at University Medical Center (El Paso, Texas) just after 8 p.m. on August 12, 2016.
Jose Chavez pulled over Jesse Hanes while he was driving a Lexus at 3:41 p.m. near a convenience store in the village of Hatch, New Mexico, according to court documents cited in a Sheriff's Department statement. [3]
At the time of the stop, Jesse Hanes had one front-seat passenger, fellow fugitive James Nelson II and another passenger, a hitchhiker who is being treated as a witness in the rear of the vehicle, the statement said.
[2]
As Officer Jose was about to stop the vehicle, another Hatch officer who had just left his assignment as a school resource officer reportedly spoke to Jose on the phone and said he would meet him to help with the traffic stop.
[3]
Once the second officer arrived Jose went to the driver's side of Jesse's car.
Jesse then shot Jose.
The assisting officer in the arrest returned fire and Jesse fled in his car.
[3]
Jesse then sped off in the Lexus at speeds over 100 mph losing the officer.
Jesse then stopped at a rest stop and shot a motorist in the torso and stole his red Chevrolet Cruze.
[3]
Police spotted the red Chevrolet Cruze and were able to stop the vehicle by deploying "stop sticks" to flatten the tires.
Jesse then briefly barricaded himself in the car before surrendering.
Deputies found he was suffering from a gunshot wound to the thigh.
They believe Hanes shot himself.
He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
[3]
James Nelson was apprehended after he tried to flee on foot.
[3]