New Mexico was in mourning Friday over the shooting death of a State Police officer in a highway-stop confrontation linked by authorities to drug trafficking that touched off a 40-mile police chase. Officials say the attacker was killed in a shootout with police at Las Cruces, where another officer was wounded.

“The members of Edinburg United stood up to the Chief and as a result were persecuted for over a year and suffered severe consequences. But because they were protected by their union and Civil Service, the members of Edinburg United could risk their jobs to do what is right. Make no mistake, those who want to do away with Civil Service, police unions, and ‘collective bargaining’ are only clearing the way for favoritism for the politically connected,” Willis said in a statement.