New Mexico State Police identify man killed by Farmington officer

• The incident took place in southeast Farmington on Wednesday night.
• New Mexico State Police are investigating the shooting and the agency will refer its findings to the District Attorney's Office.
• The Farmington officer involved in the shooting has not been identified.

FARMINGTON — New Mexico State Police have identified the man who was fatally shot by a Farmington police officer Wednesday night as Frankie Larry Anchondo, 35, of Aztec.

The shooting occurred after a Farmington officer patrolling the area of U.S. Highway 64 in southeast Farmington saw a black pickup truck pass him at approximately 6 p.m., according to a press release from State Police. Police say a woman was hanging out the passenger side window screaming for help. 

More:UPDATE: Farmington officer shoots, kills suspect

According to a Farmington Police Department press release, the unidentified officer was stopped at the traffic light at the intersection of McCormick School Road and Broadway Avenue shortly before 6:20 p.m. when he heard a woman screaming for help. Police say the woman was a passenger in a truck traveling on Broadway Avenue toward the Bloomfield Highway, also known as U.S. Highway 64.

According to Farmington police, the truck was weaving in and out of traffic and used the shoulder of the road to pass a vehicle. The truck turned onto Riverstone Road, where the driver turned off the headlights.

According to the Farmington press release, the truck driver began driving at a slow speed when the Farmington officer turned onto Riverstone Road. The truck stopped a short distance away. Before the truck stopped, the woman either fell or jumped out of the truck and fell to the ground.

Farmington police say the man driving the truck then got out of the vehicle.

The officer who had been following the truck then called out, "Shots fired" over the radio, according to the State Police release.

When other Farmington police officers arrived at the scene on Riverstone Road, Anchondo was already dead, according to the press release. Neither the officer nor the woman in the truck were injured.

According to Farmington police spokeswoman Georgette Allen, the officer who shot Anchondo has been placed on paid administrative leave. Police have not identified the officer.

New Mexico State Police are continuing to investigate the incident. After the agency concludes its probe, the case will be forwarded to the 11th Judicial District Attorney's Office in Farmington for review.

Four bullet holes were visible on a fence outside a home on Riverstone Road today. Measuring marks had been placed on two sides of each bullet hole by police.

This is the second officer-involved shooting that has taken place in Farmington this year, though Farmington police were not involved in the officer-involved shooting earlier this year. William Wilson was shot in August by a San Juan County Sheriff's Office deputy and a New Mexico State Police Officer during a traffic stop at Citizens Bank at 4220 Hudson St. after he shot the State Police officer, according to police.

More:State Police officer shot, suspect killed in Farmington

Wednesday's shooting was the first fatal officer-involved shooting involving a Farmington Police Department officer since 2013. In January 2013, there were two fatal Farmington police officer-involved shootings.

On Jan. 1, 2013, Sgt. Shawn Scott fatally shot Mark Chavez. Chavez had called police reporting a homicide in the area of Loma Linda Avenue. Police did not find any evidence of the reported homicide. Chavez allegedly tried to attack Scott with a steel pipe, according to The Daily Times archives.

In late January 2013, Farmington police Officer Jeremy Hill shot Daniel Rey while responding to a domestic violence call. Rey was allegedly holding a machete when he was shot at a house on Leighton Avenue.

Hannah Grover covers government for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4652 or via email at hgrover@daily-times.com.