Las Animas Mayor Addresses March 23 Police Incident, Emphasizing Transparency and No Threat to Public Safety

Description: Las Animas officials release clarification regarding the March 23 police incident, stating there was no public safety threat while pledging greater transparency and improved communication with the community. Read the Full Letter to the Community from Las Animas Mayor Charles Shupe...

Las Animas Leaders Respond to Community Concerns Over Police Call and School Lockout

To the citizens of Las Animas,

Communication is the bedrock of trust between a community, it’s government and those sworn to protect it. Recently, specifically regarding the events of March 23, 2026, there has been a significant amount of conversation, concern, and, unfortunately, some confusion regarding a police call and post and the information shared.

We want to clear the air. Our goal today is not to offer excuses, but to offer the facts. The Las Animas Police Department is under a new era of leadership, and with that comes a commitment to transparency and honor that may be different from what you have experienced in years past. We believe you have a right to know what is happening in your neighborhoods—the good, the bad, and the mundane.

On March 23, our department made a post on Facebook to advise the public of an ongoing police call. I want to be very clear about the intent of that post: it was informational only. It was not a post we were legally "required" to make, nor was it intended to sow seeds of fear or panic. 

In the past, silence was often the standard. The men and women of the LAPD are changing that. We chose to share that information because we believe an informed public is a safer public. 

However, the nature of the incident itself has been misunderstood by some. This was a misdemeanor case involving the investigation of a violation of a restraining order. At no point during this incident did any of our officers believe there was a credible, active threat to the general public. 

To be blunt: If there had been a threat to your safety, we would not have just "informed" you; we would have issued a direct warning with specific instructions on how to protect yourselves. This incident took place "across the tracks," a significant distance from any of our local schools. The suspect was being detained for investigation; while an officer went back into a residence to deliver statement forms, the individual was then able to get his hands in front of him and exited the patrol car in cuffs and chose to leave the scene. 

I also want to address the terminology that has been circulating. Words matter. There has been talk of a "manhunt" taking place in Las Animas. 

By definition, a manhunt is an organized, intensive, and typically large-scale search conducted by law enforcement to locate a fugitive, an escaped convict, or a suspect wanted for a serious, violent crime. It implies a level of danger and urgency that simply did not exist in this case. Officers immediately checked the area, checked known houses where the subject was known to stay, they checked several abandoned houses and were unable to locate the subject.

What occurred on March 23 was NOT a manhunt. It was a follow-up on simple misdemeanor charges. We were not tracking a dangerous fugitive; we were processing a standard investigation. Using high-intensity language for low-level incidents creates unnecessary anxiety, and we want to ensure that our community understands the distinction. 

Perhaps the greatest source of confusion was the lockout at our local schools. I want to set the record straight: The Las Animas Police Department did not put the school on lockout. 

That was a unilateral decision made by the School Resource Officer who is a school employee managed by the Sheriff’s Department. Our department was not notified that a lockout was being initiated, and we were not even aware it had happened until concerned citizens began calling our office to ask what was going on. Once we became aware, we immediately advised the Sheriff and his department of the situation, and they chose to handle the school’s security protocols from that point forward. 

Again, I reiterate: At no point was anyone at the school, or any member of the public, in danger.

We recognize that for some, our Facebook post caused alarm. If that was the case for you, please accept our sincere promise that this was never our intention. Our only goal was to keep you in the loop. Moving forward, we will ensure that all future posts include more context and pertinent details to prevent this kind of confusion from happening again.

You have gone several years without consistent transparency or regular updates from our law enforcement. The men and women of the LAPD are committed to ending that era of silence. Whether it is a routine update or a Level 1 Reverse 911 call, we will do what is necessary to get the truth to you.

You have a department that is here for you. We have nothing but this community’s best interests at heart. We thank you for your patience, your vigilance, and your continued support as we work to keep Las Animas safe and well-informed.If you have any questions about this or anything, come into the PD and speak with our Command Staff. The door is open and conversation is always welcomed.

Thank you,

Mayor Charles Shupe

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