By Roger Lanse

Early Sunday morning, December 18, at about 4:55 a.m., Silver City Police officers were dispatched to the Walgreens pharmacy in reference to a burglary in progress. Officers were advised that the alarm company reported that a male wearing a hoodie could be seen inside the pharmacy, according to a SCPD incident report.

After Grant County Sheriff's deputies assisted by stationing themselves at various points around the pharmacy, SCPD officers approached the front doors of Walgreens, the report said, and stated they could see a tall Caucasian man through the pharmacy window who appeared to be swallowing pills.

In spite of multiple verbal commands to open doors and/or windows so officers could enter the pharmacy, the man, identified as Paul Thornton, 25, no address given, refused to obey the commands and attempted to prevent officers from gaining access. Officers were ultimately able to gain access through the cashierG