A police department in New Mexico released body camera footage of three officers opening fire at an armed homeowner after arriving at the wrong address in response to a domestic violence call.
The Farmington Police Department said in a statement on April 14 that they are releasing more details, including audio recordings and videos, from the officer-involved shooting out of a desire “to be forthcoming and transparent” with the community.
The shooting left one resident, 52-year-old Robert Dotson, dead.
In the video, responding officers are seen arriving in a neighborhood shortly before midnight on April 5 as they walk up to the front door to announce themselves. One officer was also seen passing the address that was posted on the home, showing “5305.”
After knocking at least three times and announcing themselves, the officers are heard discussing that they could be at the wrong address. “It might have been 5308,” one officer is heard saying.
“This is not 5308?” another officer responded. “That’s what it said right there, right?” he added.
After the discussion, one officer can be heard asking a dispatcher to confirm the address again. The dispatcher then states the address of a home across the street.
It was seconds after officers realized they were at the wrong house that Dotson opened the door, carrying a handgun. Officers immediately open fire after seeing he was carrying a firearm, firing multiple rounds as they backed away. The man can be seen dropping to the ground.
Dotson’s wife, not knowing who was outside her home, can be heard screaming inside the home about a minute afterward as more shots ring out.
Authorities said the man’s wife returned with a gun and opened fire from the doorway, prompting the officers to fire again. Police said the woman put down her gun after realizing the individuals outside her home were police officers. She was not injured, but could be heard screaming and crying.
“Help! Somebody shot my husband. Please! Please! My kids are upstairs,” she can be heard pleading with officers.
Dispatchers also received a frantic call from the man’s daughter, saying she heard bangs and then gunfire and that her dad needed help. She and two other children were inside the home at the time of the shooting.
‘Extremely Traumatic Event’
In a video statement a day after the shooting, Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe called the incident “an extremely traumatic event,” adding he’s “heartbroken by the circumstances surrounding this.”
“All of us—the men and women of the Farmington Police Department—recognize the severity of this incident. We will do everything possible to more fully understand what transpired here,” Hebbe said in a statement last week. “Once again, we wish to express our condolences to the Dotson family and as your chief of police, I wish to convey how very sorry I am that this tragedy occurred. We will continue to provide updates as we are able.”
Edward Obayashi, an experienced investigator in officer-involved shootings who viewed the footage, said he understands why Dotson was carrying a firearm after getting a knock unexpectedly shortly before midnight.
“It’s tragic. Was it a justified shooting? Excessive force? Here, it’s not an issue for me,” Obayashi said. “It’s what led up to that is the issue. Who screwed up here?”
Why the three officers, who have not been identified, approached the wrong address remains part of an ongoing investigation, police said. They have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the ongoing investigation.
In a statement released on April 6, the New Mexico State Police Investigation Bureau said they’ve been requested to investigate the events leading up to the shooting and any findings will be shared with the appropriate prosecutors for further review.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.