Las Cruces police identify man shot to death last week

LAS CRUCES — A man killed in an encounter with Las Cruces police last week was identified Monday as Josiah Perrault, 18. Aside from the identity of the deceased, no new details were released about the shooting that took place in front of a public school last Thursday.

At about 6:30 a.m. on May 8, Perrault and another man were wounded during an encounter on South Walnut Street close to Lynn Community Middle School, but not on school grounds. A section of Walnut Street was temporarily closed, and the school modified its student drop-off procedures but otherwise continued with its class schedule.

Perrault died of his injuries, police said, while the other man was transported to a local hospital and was expected to survive. Details of his condition, and whether he remained hospitalized, were not disclosed.

A news conference regarding what took place that morning has been scheduled for May 20, which the city said allowed for witness interviews while police chief Jeremy Story and other LCPD staff attend National Police Week events in Washington, D.C. through Saturday.

Las Cruces City Councilor Johana Bencomo told the Journal she was concerned “over the delay in communication with the community regarding the police incident ... especially given the current climate and speed in which misinformation spreads online,” adding, “Twelve days is far too long to wait.”

Her colleague, City Councilor Becky Corran, said, “The lag does not help in giving the public the best look into what happened, especially on such a critical issue.”

Both councilors said they had requested that city administration take steps to make information more readily available.

The officer, who was uninjured, has been placed on standard administrative leave while the shooting is investigated by a task force comprising the LCPD, New Mexico State Police, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico State University Police.