Trinidad Police investigate shooting

by Bill Knowles
TRINIDAD — Trinidad Police are investigating a shooting that has left one man in critical but stable condition, and police wondering what happened.
On Saturday, Jan. 30, a white truck was seen running a stop sign at the corner of Beech and Main around 2:30 p.m. by a Trinidad police officer.  Turning on his emergency lights the officer attempted to pull the truck over, but the truck continued east on Main Street at a high rate of speed blowing through two stop lights.
After notifying the Trinidad Police Department Communication Center of the tag number the officer stopped his attempt to pull the vehicle over due to the volume of traffic and pedestrians on the street at that time of day.
He followed the vehicle and watched it turn on Benedicta and head toward Mt. San Rafael Hospital. The officer called for back-up and then located the truck in the hospital parking lot.
When officers located the driver, Jared Lopez, 26, of Trinidad, he informed them he had transported his brother-in-law, Steven Valdez, 26, of Trinidad because Valdez had been shot.
As the officers further questioned Lopez concerning the shooting, they understood that Lopez had found Valdez, by Convent Street, shot. Lopez didn’t know how Valdez had been shot.
Valdez was transported to Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo where he underwent surgery. He remains in critical but stable condition.
The incident is still under investigation. Trinidad Police ask anyone with information about this shooting to call them at 719-846-4441 or 719-845-8477.