Current:Home > ScamsFamily of man killed by police responding to wrong house in New Mexico files lawsuit-LoTradeCoin
Family of man killed by police responding to wrong house in New Mexico files lawsuit
View Date:2024-12-23 22:06:20
The family of a man fatally shot in New Mexico by police officers responding to the wrong house sued the department for wrongful death and other claims in federal court, according to a complaint filed on Friday in the U.S. District Court of New Mexico.
Robert Dotson, 52, was shot and killed in the doorway of his house in Farmington after local police officers opened fire after they said they saw he had a gun.
Police knocked on Dotson's door at 11:30 p.m. on April 5, according to the complaint filed in court. Dotson grabbed his gun from the top of the refrigerator and went to open the front door. The complaint says "police vehicles were parked down the street and did not have their lights on."
Three officers standing outside the door immediately opened fire, according to the complaint. Dotson was hit by 12 bullets. His wife, Kimberly, wearing just her robe, came down the stairs to find out what happened, the complaint says, and the officers fired an additional 19 bullets at her but missed.
Police handcuffed the wife and her two children and placed them in separate vehicles and took them to the police station, according to the complaint. "There was no attempt, or even apparently a thought, about preserving the dignity" of the new widow and her family, the complaint says.
New Mexico State Police issued a statement saying that Farmington police were responding to a domestic violence call but went to the wrong address.
The statement said the officers identified themselves as police, but no one answered. Body camera footage shows that as the officers backed away from the house, the homeowner opened the screen door armed with a handgun.
In a video statement, Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe acknowledged the mistake and said he was "heartbroken by the circumstances."
Reporting was contributed by Stephen Smith.
- In:
- New Mexico
- Police Officers
Cara Tabachnick is a news editor for CBSNews.com. Contact her at [email protected]
veryGood! (16665)
Related
- RHOBH's Kyle Richards Addresses PK Kemsley Cheating Rumors in the Best Way Possible
- Police shooting of Baltimore teen prompts outrage among residents
- USA basketball pulls off furious comeback to beat Serbia: Olympics highlights
- Snake hunters will wrangle invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades during Florida’s 10-day challenge
- Does the NFL have a special teams bias when hiring head coaches? History indicates it does
- Deputies shoot and kill man in southwest Georgia after they say he fired at them
- Nelly arrested, allegedly 'targeted' with drug possession charge after casino outing
- Colin Jost abruptly exits Olympics correspondent gig
- Kyle Richards Shares an Amazing Bottega Dupe From Amazon Along With Her Favorite Fall Trends
- Case that could keep RFK Jr. off New York’s presidential ballot ends
Ranking
- Diamond Sports Group will offer single-game pricing to stream NBA and NHL games starting next month
- Sam Edelman Shoes Are up to 64% Off - You Won’t Believe All These Chic Finds Under $75
- Cate Blanchett talks new movie 'Borderlands': 'It's not Citizen Kane!'
- Cash App to award $15M to users in security breach settlement: How to file a claim
- Deion Sanders doubles down on vow to 99-year-old Colorado superfan
- Pocket-sized creatures: Video shows teeny-tiny endangered crocodiles hatch
- Maui remembers the 102 lost in the Lahaina wildfire with a paddle out 1 year after devastating blaze
- 'Criminals are preying on Windows users': Software subject of CISA, cybersecurity warnings
Recommendation
-
Amazon Prime Video to stream Diamond Sports' regional networks
-
Former Super Bowl MVP, Eagles hero Nick Foles retiring after 11-year NFL career
-
Hearing in Karen Read case expected to focus on jury deliberations
-
DeSantis, longtime opponent of state spending on stadiums, allocates $8 million for Inter Miami
-
Amtrak service disrupted after fire near tracks in New York City
-
Investigator says ‘fraudulent’ gift to Florida’s only public historically Black university is void
-
Why Zoë Kravitz & Channing Tatum's On-Set Relationship Surprised Their Blink Twice Costar Levon Hawke
-
Missouri man dies illegally BASE jumping at Grand Canyon National Park; parachute deployed