Police were called to the Alta Convenience Store on a call of a suspicious person. They found Lovato there, and as they tried to speak with him, he got into his pickup truck and drove off. He attempted to escape, before police brought his truck to a stop on the on-ramp onto I-25. There, Lovato allegedly pulled out a handgun, and officers shot and killed him.
Victim's Name: Lawrence Lee Lovato
Agency Responsible: Trinidad Police Department, Las Animas County Sheriff's Office
Gender: Male
Age: 46
Race: Unknown race
Date of Death: May 19, 2019
County: Las Animas
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: No
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: gun
Threat Level: attack
Washington Post Database ID: 4727
Geography: Rural