Police officer accused of firing on fellow cops

LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) - Los Lunas Police are investigating one of their own.

An officer is accused of throwing a party where she fired her gun and when cops came to break it up they say she fired at them too.

It happened early Saturday morning in Los Lunas. Police say Officer Delinda Chavez, 46, who's been an officer for three years, was having a house warming party. They say she was drunk when she started yelling at the two women she invited. She's accused of waving a gun at them and then firing off a shot inside her home.

"One of the women is a relative, possibly a cousin, and the second is a friend who is also an officer with our department," said Los Lunas Police Lt. Naithan Gurule.

He added both women were able to escape.

"One of them called 911, the other called one of our supervisors," Lt. Gurule said. When police got there they say Chavez barricaded herself in the closet and refused to come out.

But it didn't stop there.

"While they were on scene they heard what they thought was a bullet going past them," said Lt. Gurule in reference to what happened once police arrived on scene.

They say Chavez fired at one of her sergeants, so they called in the SWAT team. Chavez finally gave up and was arrested.

Neighbors who didn't want to be identified say Chavez moved in a couple months ago. Then they were happy to see a cop living next door, but now they're not so sure.

"I was really surprised," neighbors said. "That was the last thing I thought I would hear."

They say can't believe an officer sworn to serve and protect would act so recklessly.

Chavez is on administrative leave. She faces multiple charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The other Los Lunas Officer at the party is not in trouble.

State Police is the lead agency in Chavez's criminal case and investigators are still trying to determine if she used her department issued gun in the shooting.