Posted on 04/07/2023 1:44:35 PM PDT by CedarDave
Farmington police responding to an argument went to the wrong house Wednesday night and shot and killed the homeowner when he came to the door with a gun in his hand.
New Mexico State Police spokesman Ray Wilson said officers “mistakenly” went to the home of 52-year-old Robert Dotson and killed him before shooting at his wife in a neighborhood near the Animas River.
Wilson said Dotson’s wife fired back at police from the doorway and officers shot at her but missed. Wilson added, “Once she realized that the individuals outside the residence were officers, she put the gun down and complied with the officer’s commands.”
Shanice Gonzales, a spokeswoman for the Farmington Police Department, said three officers who were “directly involved” have been put on administrative leave.
Gonzales said the call police were initially to be responding to was for a “verbal argument” and nobody was injured or detained in that incident. She did not say how the address mix-up occurred.
By Friday morning the incident had made national news and a Facebook video posted by Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe garnered hundreds of comments from those criticizing the officers, demanding Hebbe’s resignation and talking about what a good man Dotson, a father, was.
In the video Hebbe said it was “a very dark day” for the department.
“What I will tell you, as the chief, is this is an extremely traumatic event and that I am just heartbroken by the circumstances surrounding this,” he said. “Mr. Dotson was not the subject of the call that our officers were responding to and this ending is just unbelievably tragic. I am extremely sorry that we are in this position.”
He added, “There is nothing I can say that will make this better.”
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
“The cops claim they identified themselves as police, but the fact that an innocent homeowner did not know who they were, and the wife started firing, but stopped when she saw they were police, shows that they did not adequately identify themselves to the homeowner.
That seem to be common thing in these kinds of events.”
Absolutely... and FAR too common, as if they are fishing for the opportunity to cause escalated conflict on purpose.
“Qualified immunity - the cops can’t be touched criminally or civilly.”
Does the name Tyre Nichols ring any bells? How about Kathryn Johnston? George Floyd maybe?
L
“frankly, we live out a bit, and if someone knocked on our door in the middle of the night, my husband would bring a gun and I would want him to...that or let me answer the door with him off to the side ready to shoot.”
Please do not assume that “City Cops” responding will be intelligent enough to recognize and understand this rural situation you are in.
Because they WILL NOT and will kill you.
Those cops should face exactly the same charges I would. They were behaving negligently by going to the wrong house. Getting it right is their obligation.
If the cops are planning to go into your home, they should first park a marked cruiser out front, with lights flashing and siren on.
Let folks know it really is the police.
One night around midnight, I heard repeated rings of the doorbell and then someone pounding on the door. After fumbling with the phone for awhile, I could not see anyone on the Ring camera.
I’m not going to the door in that scenario without being armed so I got a .38 revolver from the closet and peered through the glass. Still saw nothing. Well, maybe someone is in trouble and needs help was one thought as I opened the door. About 20 ft. to the left stood a policeman who had a flashlight trained on himself so I could see him. He identified himself and asked what I had in my right hand (behind my back). I nervously explained that I heard a commotion and did not know was going on. He asked again. “I have a gun in my hand.”
“You better put it down.” I went back in the house and put the pistol on the coffee table and came back to the door with both hands visible so he could see I was not armed.
“Are there any women in the house—girlfriend, wife?” “No, just me and my son.” He explained that they had reports of screams coming from the house.
Finally, he must have convinced himself that this was the wrong house and left. Relieved, I thought this was a good reason for the axiom that you don’t point a gun at anything you don’t intend to shoot. If I had come to the door with the gun pointed in front of me, I would likely be dead.
Yep
The Police were just doing their jobs; following standard procedure. There is no record of a policeman violating any citizen’s rights.
Please clap.
A similar thing happened to me about 25 years. Someone knocking on my door at 1 am. I went to the door with my 357 in hand. I looked through the pep hole and saw deputies.
I quickly went into another room and put the gun down, then I opened the door. It was all a big nothing burger. If I had I opened the door with gun in hand, who knows I sure as hell didn't want to find out.
“Qualified immunity - the cops can’t be touched criminally or civilly.”
An elected pro-2nd amendment, constitutional sheriff can “touch” gestapo cops in all kinds of ways you can’t imagine.
Any criminal thug can shout police, or wear a uniform with a shiny badge. And some do. My suspicion is they didn’t ‘identify’ themselves until afterwards.
Yeah, Joe Biden says you shoot your shotgun through the door! (He actually said that, but no one should do that! We don't answer knocks on our door; if they're strangers they can leave a note.)
Old guys reaching for their cane have been shot after being ordered out of their vehicle. Cops are trigger happy.
I just referenced this kind of f up in the recent posts where the fbi terrorized a guy in the wrong hotel room.
Almost happened to my Dad and I a couple times because of his hearing loss.
I am surprised they did not kill her and the dog.
Don’t hold your breath because of a few exceptions. Floyd and Johnson were blacks killed by white cops. Further I know that the cops who murdered Katheryn Johnson were convicted of “violation of oath of office,” not murder or even manslaughter. Basically a slap on the wrist.
You said they were immune from any criminal or civil charges.
That’s incorrect.
A gentleman would admit he was wrong and move on.
L
Yes !!!
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