Last Thursday's usual evening bustle on Telshor Boulevard was disrupted by gunfire and flashing lights, as Las Cruces police responded to a distressing scene at a local Chili's Grill and Bar, where an aggressive man threatening those around him met an abrupt and tragic end. As obtained by the Las Cruces Police Department, at around 6 p.m., officers arrived following reports of the disturbance involving 50-year-old Philip Adrian Mullin. The situation escalated to the point where the first officer on the scene felt compelled to use lethal force, firing at least one round that left Mullin fatally wounded.
Attempts at reviving Mullin proved futile, and he was declared deceased right there on the cold asphalt that moments before served as nothing more than a place for patrons to park their cars before enjoying a meal, and the area was quickly cordoned off by law enforcement. The unidentified officer involved in the shooting has since been placed on standard administrative leave; this, as explained by the Las Cruces Police Department, is regular protocol whenever an occurrence of this gravity unfolds.
Following departmental protocol, the name of the officer has not been released, and they have not suffered any injuries; furthermore, the Officer-involved Incident Task Force, comprising members from multiple local law enforcement agencies, has been brought in to piece together the narrative of that evening's events. The coalition includes personnel from the New Mexico State Police, the Las Cruces Police Department, Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office, and New Mexico State University Police and will present findings to the Third Judicial District Attorney's Office in due course.
