NEWS
Authorities ID man killed in shootout with Santa Fe deputy
Close-quarters gunfight left deputy with burns to the face from "muzzle flash"
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Authorities have identified the man killed in a shootout with a Santa Fe County deputy early Saturday morning.
New Mexico State Police, in a Facebook post Saturday night, said Randall Lopez, 36, died at the scene. The agency said the deputy was 鈥渢reated for burns to the face, consistent with being caused by muzzle flash.鈥�
The gun Lopez was armed with had been reported stolen, according to the post.
鈥淭his case remains under investigation by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau,鈥� State Police said. 鈥淭he name of the deputy involved will not be released at this time.鈥�
Court records show Lopez was arrested on April 10 by State Police for concealing his identity during a traffic stop in Santa Fe. He was released on April 13 to await trial.
Lopez came to the attention of authorities again early Saturday.
It was around 4 a.m. when the Santa Fe County deputy tried to pull over a motorcyclist for speeding near Agua Fria and San Felipe, according to State Police. The motorcyclist, later identified as Lopez, sped off and the deputy found him riding down a bike path in the 6300 block of Entrada del Milagro.
State Police said Lopez drove the motorcycle into an apartment complex and the deputy chased him on foot. The deputy caught up to Lopez and pushed him off the motorcycle.
鈥淒uring the encounter, the suspect produced a firearm and fired it at the deputy, missing him,鈥� according to State Police. 鈥淭he deputy then returned fire, striking the suspect.鈥�
State Police said Lopez died at the scene.
Court records show Lopez has been charged in several serious felony cases over the past decade.
A 2021 murder case against him was dismissed when prosecutors couldn鈥檛 produce a witness for trial, according to court records. Another 2021 case, with charges that included kidnapping, armed robbery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, was dismissed "pending further investigation.鈥�
Most recently, in September 2025, Lopez was sentenced to nine months in federal prison after violating supervised release on a gun charge. It is unclear in federal court records when Lopez finished that sentence and was released.
