Man dies in hospital days after being shot by Santa Fe police


Mar. 13—A man shot by Santa Fe police over the weekend has died.

Ben Valdez, deputy chief of the Santa Fe Police Department, said Rick Chavez, 35, died on Tuesday. He had been hospitalized in critical condition since Sunday.

Authorities say Santa Fe police opened fire on Chavez at the end of a pursuit, shooting one of their own officers and Chavez’s friend George Theragood, 42, in the process.

Theragood and the officer are recovering from their injuries. It is unclear how the Santa Fe officer was struck by bullets from his fellow officers.

Friends of Chavez took to social media to mourn the loss. One man wrote, “It’s sad I’m losing friends left and right.”

“You were a good man… I always liked the way you had respect and cared about your son and family,” the man posted with a photo of Chavez with his son.

Around 1 p.m., Santa Fe police tracked Chavez, who was wanted in several recent crimes, to a home along Rodeo Road, west of St. Francis Drive. A pursuit began, according to police, when Chavez fled in a car.

Police said officers stopped Chavez with spike strips soon after and he got out of the car with a gun in his hand. Chavez approached a car being driven by Theragood, when three officers opened fire.

Chavez, Theragood and a Santa Fe officer were injured by gunfire.

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