At about 12:38 am, an officer of the Silver City Police Department made a traffic stop on a pickup on Highway 90 South near Victoria Street in Silver City. The vehicle was stopped for having a rider standing up in the bed of the pickup.

The subject, later identified as Ruben Diaz, 63 years of age, from Silver City, jumped out of the back of the truck and attempted to push the officer away and get into the driver's seat of the police unit. The officer gained control of Diaz and placed Diaz in handcuffs. The subject had a medical crisis and emergency medical services was called to the scene. A short time later he was pronounced deceased.

The New Mexico State Police was contacted and is conducting an investigation into the incident.