Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Video shows N. Mexico police were at wrong house seconds before killing homeowner

In this image taken from body camera video provided by the Farmington Police Department, a police officer knocks on the door of the wrong address in response to a domestic violence call, in Farmington, N.M., late April 5, 2023. Moments later, the homeowner was fatally shot by police after appearing at the door armed with a handgun. (Farmington Police Department via AP) In this image taken from body camera video provided by the Farmington Police Department, a police officer knocks on the door of the wrong address in response to a domestic violence call, in Farmington, N.M., late April 5, 2023. Moments later, the homeowner was fatally shot by police after appearing at the door armed with a handgun. (Farmington Police Department via AP)
Share

New Mexico police officers realized they were at the wrong address just moments before the front door opened and they fatally shot the armed homeowner, then exchanged gunfire with his wife, according to newly released body camera video of the April 5 shooting.

Robert Dotson, 52, was killed by police in Farmington, New Mexico, on April 5, after officers responding to a domestic violence report arrived at the wrong house.

The Farmington Police Department released several videos on Friday, including footage captured by body cameras worn by the three officers who fired their weapons.

"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," Police Chief Steven Hebbe said in a statement accompanying the release.

An attorney representing the Dotson family could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

The video shows one officer knocking on a door decorated with an Easter bunny three times and announcing that police are present in the span of about 1-1/2 minutes. While they wait, two officers discuss whether they have the correct address and chuckle when they realize a mistake has been made.

One officer then curses and backs away, seconds before the door opens. An officer yells, "Hands up!," and the video shows Dotson raising what appears to be a handgun before officers open fire, dropping him in the doorway.

Dotson's wife can soon be heard screaming "Oh my God!" One officer mutters, "Please don't," before another volley of shots take place. Authorities have said she fired in the direction of officers, who returned fire without striking her.

Dotson's wife, who did not realize she was firing at police, has not been charged with a crime, authorities said. Three children were upstairs at the time of the shooting, according to the released video.

Police have not released the names of the involved officers, who have been placed on paid leave while the state police investigate the incident.

The Dotson family and their attorney watched the video prior to its public release, Hebbe said.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax, Editing by Nick Zieminski)

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.

The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.

Ontario's police watchdog has decided there are no grounds to believe Sudbury police committed a crime during a difficult arrest in May where the suspect's neck was broken.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.