Portales police officer shot

Jason Ford, left, and Anthony Ortega

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A Portales police officer, shot while apprehending a criminal suspect, was being treated for a non-life threatening injury at a Lubbock hospital on Monday afternoon, officials said.

Police said two individuals involved in the incident were being held on unrelated charges in the Roosevelt County jail.

No charges had been filed in connection with the shooting as of 5 p.m. Monday.

The officer’s name was not released. Officials also did not release information about his injuries.

The incident began about 1:30 p.m. Monday when the officer attempted to make a traffic stop in the area of 16th Street and Avenue E.

Multiple occupants fled the vehicle on foot, police said.

While apprehending one of the subjects, an altercation ensued, and the officer was shot, according to police.

The officer was transported to Roosevelt General Hospital before being airlifted to a Lubbock hospital.

Jason Ford, 24, and Anthony Ortega, 28, both of Portales, were arrested on active felony warrants and were being held Monday evening at the Roosevelt County Detention Center.

According to officials at the detention center, Ford was being held on three previous warrants and on new charges of resisting, evading and obstructing an officer.

Ford had been charged with aggravated burglary in 2010 and residential burglary in 2011, according to court records.

Ortega was being held on three warrants. He was previously charged with robbery in 2007, possession of a controlled substance in 2010 and possession of a firearm in 2012. Court records show he also had multiple charges last year, including three separate charges of shoplifting and two separate charges of larceny as well as battery against a household member and criminal damage to property and to a motor vehicle.

Lt. Chris Williams of Portales PD said the shooting incident remained under investigation Monday evening. He said the identity of the officer and the alleged shooter will not be released until the investigation is complete and charges have been filed.

It wasn’t immediately clear if all suspects who fled the vehicle had been captured.

The shooting marked the first time in at least 30 years a Portales police officer was shot in the line of duty, said Lonnie Berry, a retired officer.

The last time a law officer from the 9th Judicial District was shot was Dec. 6, 2002, officials said on Monday.

Clovis Police Officer Keith Bessette was serving a drug warrant when he suffered a bullet wound to his arm in an exchange of fire with Timothy Michael Burke.

Bessette recovered and returned to law enforcement. Burke was paralyzed as a result of his injuries. He received a 32-year prison sentence in 2005 and has since died in custody.

Records show one Roosevelt County law officer has been killed in the line of duty.

Will Tipton, a deputy sheriff, was shot to death in 1907 while trying to disarm another law officer suspected of drinking on the job. Portales Marshal Byron Parrish was acquitted of criminal charges in connection with the slaying, which occurred on April 25, 1907, according to newspaper accounts and the book: “New Mexico’s Finest: Peace Officers Killed in the Line of Duty.”

Editor David Stevens contributed to this report.