Taylor Hagan: New Mexico police cadet killed by husband in apparent domestic violence murder-suicide

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO: A young police cadet was shot to death by her husband, who then shot himself, leaving their eight-year-old child orphaned just days before Thanksgiving.

According to the police, Taylor Hagan, 32, was fatally shot by Briton Hagan, 41, at the Olympus Encantada apartment building near the corner of San Pedro Drive and San Antonio Drive in Albuquerque, New Mexico, around 4 pm on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.

A neighbor called 911 after hearing a shooting and the couple was pronounced dead by police officers when they arrived at the scene, KRQE reported.

According to law enforcement, Taylor was a victim of domestic violence even though specifics surrounding the homicide are limited and no motive has been publicly offered.

Who is Taylor Hagan?

The 32-year-old cadet was 17 weeks into the 26-week training at the Albuquerque Police Department Academy, according to New Mexico authorities.

Homicide investigators found Hagan was shot and killed by her husband, Briton Hagan, 41, who then shot himself in the apartment that the couple shared at the Olympus Encantada complex on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the police, both died at the scene.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, the couple's 8-year-old son was with a neighbor by the time police arrived. It was unclear whether the child was at home with his family at the time of the fatal shooting.

Briton Hagan obtained his doctorate in physical education from the University of New Mexico in 2017, as per the Journal.

What did authorities say?

Albuquerque Police Chief Medina said in a press release, “Taylor was working hard to meet the challenges of becoming an APD officer. She chose to serve the community as a police officer and keep the community safe. My sincere condolences go out to her family and loved ones on behalf of the entire APD family.”

Medina informed Taylor Hagan's fellow cadets about her death on Tuesday evening.

The victim's body was led to the medical examiner's office by the department's color guard.

“Domestic violence tends to increase during the holidays,” police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos told the Albuquerque Journal.

He added, “If someone is in immediate danger, we urge them to leave or have someone they can trust stay with them and call a crisis hotline for assistance, location of a women’s shelter, counseling, and crisis intervention.”

Domestic Violence Resource Center Director Maria Cahuenas told KOAT, “We have advocates working during the holidays that can respond to the scene of domestic violence and begin to provide services to the victim right away.”

She stated, “We understand how difficult it is to talk about it, to even process it. We will meet the victims where they are. They don’t need to disclose anything that’s happening. They can contact us to see what’s available in the community.”

The fallen police cadet was mourned by the city’s mayor as well.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said in the press release, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of police cadet Taylor Hagan and are keeping her loved ones and fellow cadets in our prayers.”

He noted, “Domestic violence affects people from all walks of life and incidents can unfortunately increase during the holidays, so I urge everyone in our community to be on the lookout for warning signs of abuse.”