Suspect Jaremy Smith arrested after officer-involved shooting in Bernalillo County

As per law enforcement sources, Jaremy Smith has been apprehended following an altercation involving gunfire with deputies from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office earlier today.

Sources have informed Channel3 NOW that Smith sustained injuries but is alive.

Fortunately, no deputies were harmed, but there is heightened police activity near Unser and Anderson Hill.

Investigators have linked Smith to the killing of NMSP Officer Justin Hare and identified him as the primary suspect in the murder of South Carolina paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore.

Smith was discovered driving Machado-Fore’s vehicle along I-40 between Santa Rosa and Tucumcari when Officer Hare arrived to assist him with a flat tire.

Original Report:

Quay County, NM – On Friday, March 15, 2024, at around 5:00 a.m., New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare was dispatched to Interstate 40, near milepost 318, to assist a motorist in a white BMW who had a flat tire and was attempting to wave down other motorists.

When Officer Hare arrived, he parked behind the disabled vehicle. The suspect, later identified as Jaremy Alexander Smith (DOB: 10/14/90) exited his vehicle and approached Officer Hare’s passenger side window. A short conversation ensued about repairing his tire when, without warning, Smith pulled out a firearm and shot Officer Hare.

Smith then walked to the driver’s side and shot Officer Hare again. Smith then pushed Officer Hare into the passenger seat and drove away in Officer Hare’s patrol unit. After calls from dispatch to Officer Hare went unanswered, an additional NMSP officer was dispatched to assist.

While the assisting officer responded to the area, Officer Hare’s duress signal began to go off. The duress signal is an emergency function of the officer’s handheld radio that the officer can activate, and it sends an emergency signal to dispatch.

As the assisting officer continued to the scene, he saw Officer Hare’s patrol unit driving westbound at a high rate of speed along the frontage road of Interstate 40 near milepost 312. The officer took the next exit to get on the frontage road and attempted to catch up to Officer Hare’s unit. When the officer caught up with the patrol unit, it had been crashed on the frontage road near milepost 304 on Interstate 40.

The assisting officer approached Officer Hare’s patrol unit to find it empty. Smith apparently fled on foot and is still at large. Officer Hare was later located on the frontage road to Interstate 40 around milepost 312. He was transported via ambulance to an area hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. He was pronounced deceased at 7:21 a.m.

The New Mexico State Police is currently attempting to locate Jaremy Alexander Smith and bring him to justice for the murder of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare.

Smith has an extensive criminal history in South Carolina to include:

• Taking Hostages and Rioting in Jail
• Burglary
• Breaking and Entering
• Armed Robbery
• Resisting Evading Police Officers
• Auto Theft
• Shooting at or from a Motor Vehicle
• Armed Robbery
• Person of Interest in Murder of South Carolina Paramedic Phenesia Machado-Fore.

New Mexico State Police asks that anyone with information contact the New Mexico State Police at (505) 425-6771. Smith should not be approached and is considered armed and dangerous.