Around 8:30 that morning, New Mexico State Police officers were dispatched to an armed robbery call at the Pecos River Station, a gas station and convenience store located on Interstate 25 at mile marker 319 in San Miguel County. During that incident, Reed robbed the store owner at gunpoint and stole the owner’s personal firearm and his vehicle, a Dodge pickup.
Hours later, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department deputies observed the stolen pickup on the west frontage road of Interstate 25 near La Cienega, around mile marker 272. When deputies attempted to stop the vehicle driven by Reed, Reed fled the area, traveling southbound in Interstate 25. Santa Fe County deputies and, later, New Mexico State Police pursued the vehicle.
During the pursuit, officers and eyewitnesses observed Reed throwing items out his window, including what appeared to be money and a firearm. Eyewitnesses later recounted to officers during interviews they observed Reed pointing a gun at officers and shooting. Officers attempted to use tire deflation devices in an attempt to stop the fleeing vehicle, but all attempts were unsuccessful.
Based on interviews, Reed first began shooting at deputies after the pursuit was initiated along the frontage road. Deputies observed Reed shooting outside his window at them. Deputies maneuvered their patrol cars to the right side of the road to avoid being struck by gunfire from Reed. Reed began firing at deputies again near Santo Domingo. Lieutenant Michael Delgado of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department returned fire at Reed from his department-issued handgun. Lieutenant Delgado fired through his windshield after verifying no other vehicles were in the line of fire; however, Reed continued to flee.
The pursuit continued southbound on Interstate 25. New Mexico State Police Sergeant Hugo Munoz encountered the suspect vehicle around Algodones. Sergeant Munoz stated he got behind the suspect vehicle and was attempting to perform a PIT maneuver to stop it. Reed began firing again outside his window directly at Sergeant Munoz. Sergeant Munoz was in close proximity to Reed because he was attempting to perform a PIT maneuver. Sergeant Munoz returned fire through his windshield using a department-issued rifle, but Reed continued in pursuit.
Reed continued throwing items outside his window, followed by more gunfire at officers. Sergeant Munoz saw rounds fired by Reed strike the roadway in front of him so he returned fire a second time. The vehicle then stopped and officers gave Reed commands to exit the vehicle. Reed complied and was taken into custody. No injuries were obtained by officers or Reed during this incident.
Lieutenant Delgado is a fourteen year veteran of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department. Sergeant Munoz is a sixteen year veteran of the New Mexico State Police.
The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau assumed command of the entire officer-involved shooting incident and the State Police Crime Scene Team processed numerous crime scenes from this incident. State Police agents recovered two firearms, a large amount of US currency, and several spent bullet casings during subsequent searches of the crime scenes.
In a later interview with Reed, he told State Police agents he was involved in an armed robbery spree which began in Texas in the early weeks of July 2017. He traveled through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico where he was taken into custody. Reed admitted to committing crimes in Texas and Colorado and to the armed robbery at the Pecos River Station that day, along with the theft of the owner’s vehicle, pursuit with law enforcement, shooting at officers from the fleeing vehicle, and throwing incriminating items out of the vehicle during the pursuit. Reed also told agents he had removed the serial numbers from a stolen firearm he purchased. He also told agents he intended to “kill” the officers who were trying to stop him.
Subsequent investigation conducted by the New Mexico State Police revealed that the Raton Police Department had been dispatched to a robbery at the Cross Roads gas station on July 24, 2017, the day prior. The description of the suspect matched Reed’s description. It was also reported the suspect in the Raton robbery used a silver, small-framed revolver to demand money from the cash drawer before leaving in a Toyota four-door sedan bearing Florida plates.
When State Police responded to the call at the Pecos River Station, officers located in the nearby area a black 2018 Toyota four-door sedan bearing Florida registration. Officers discovered this vehicle had been reported stolen out of Denver, Colorado on July 23, 2017 around 9 p.m. The suspect from the auto-theft matched the description of Reed. Witnesses stated the suspect took the vehicle from the occupants after brandishing a firearm at a Diamond Shamrock gas station in Denver. The Denver Police Department was able to establish through their investigation that Lane Reed was the suspect in the theft of the black Toyota.
At the time Reed was taken into custody, he had numerous felony nationwide warrants, including:
Warrant #1 out of Denver, Colorado: Aggravated robbery; aggravated theft of a motor vehicle.
Warrant #2 out of Fort Worth, Texas: Aggravated robbery.
Warrant #3 out of Grandview, Texas: Aggravated robbery.
Reed was booked into the Sandoval County Detention Center. He has been charged by the New Mexico State Police with the following charges:
Assault with intent to commit a violent felony (five counts); Shooting at or from a motor vehicle; Aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer; Possession of firearm by a felon (three counts); Receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle (two counts); Receiving stolen property (firearm); Tampering with evidence; Armed robbery; Abuse of a child; and Unlawful taking of a motor vehicle.
Because Reed’s crime spree covered multiple jurisdictions in New Mexico, Reed will face charges in Santa Fe and San Miguel Counties. State Police is cooperating with law enforcement agencies to determine if Reed will face additional charges for other crimes committed during his multi-state crime spree.
This case remains under investigation.
