New Mexico’s Farmington Police Department has landed itself in hot water after cops shot and killed an innocent man while responding to the wrong home for a domestic violence call.
NBC News reports the fatal shooting took place around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday after police officers responded to a domestic violence call at a home in Farmington, a city located 50 miles from the Arizona border.
Police were responding to a call that came from 5308 Valley View Avenue, but mistakenly showed up at 5305 Valley View Avenue. The owner of the house, Robert Dotson, 52, opened the door holding a handgun, before police shot and killed him.
“Mr. Dotson was not the subject of the call that our officers were responding to, and this ending is just unbelievably tragic,” Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said. “I’m extremely sorry that we’re in this position. We’ll find more facts as we go through the investigation.”
Hebbe added, “I extend nothing but my deepest condolences to the Dotson family,” he said. “There’s nothing I can say that will make this better. It’s a terrible event, and I’m heartbroken by it.”
The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau is now investigating the Farmington police shooting. After Farmington takes official statements of its police officers who were at the scene, the department said it will release body camera footage of the tragic incident.
