SOCORRO, New Mexico (STPNS) -- A 90-minute police standoff ended when a Socorro man shot himself in the face Tuesday afternoon at Tom?s RV Park on Highway 60.

Police Chief Lawrence Romero said dispatchers received a 911 call at about 3 p.m. from former police dispatcher Donald Van Handle.

?He advised the dispatcher that he had a gun to his head and then he hung up,? Romero said. ?Officers responded to the residence at 506 Highway 60, and made several attempts to get him to come outside.?

Van Handle lives in a small travel trailer in the RV park.



Romero and detective Sgt. Angel Garcia spoke to Van Handle over a police car PA system. Romero said all the officers on the scene knew Van Handle personally.

?It was emotional, because he was one of us,? Romero said. ?We tried for over an hour to get a response, but he wouldn?t come out or answer.?

At about 4:30 p.m. Romero and Garcia entered the trailer.

?He was standing there with a cocked .22 pistol to his head,? Romero said. ?He was immediately Tasered as soon as we got in.?

One of the two Taser darts missed, but the commotion caused Van Handle to move his gun hand.

?He fired anyway, but only shot through his cheek,? Romero said. ?We had the ambulance there and it was kept running, and he was rushed to Socorro General Hospital.?

Garcia later spoke with Van Handle at the hospital.

?He told Angel he was sorry about all this,? Romero said.

According to Van Handle?s military record, he served four tours of duty in Vietnam with U.S. Marine Corps in the late 60?s, and received a Bronze Star.

Van Handle has been transferred to the Veteran?s Administration Health Care facility in El Paso, Romero said.