New Mexico Police Officer Charged with Second-Degree Murder in Fatal Shooting of Woman

A police officer from New Mexico is facing charges of second-degree murder after fatally shooting a 45-year-old woman during a traffic stop last October. The officer, identified as Felipe Hernandez from the Las Cruces police department, has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

According to a report by KFOX14, Hernandez turned himself in on Tuesday and is now facing charges of second-degree murder with firearm enhancement in relation to the death of Teresa Gomez.

The decision to charge Hernandez with second-degree murder was made by the Doña Ana County District Attorney’s Office after a thorough review of all the evidence presented by the Officer-Involved Shooting Task Force. District Attorney Gerald Byers stated, “From the beginning of Mr. Hernandez’s interaction with Ms. Gomez, the ability to manage the protocol was non-existent. His interactions with her, on a human level alone, were exceedingly subpar and did not meet the standards that the LCPD requires of its officers.”

Byers also emphasized that the use of deadly force by Hernandez was unnecessary and lacked any justification for self-defense. Body camera footage obtained by KFOX14 showed Hernandez, who had eight years of service, shooting Gomez multiple times as she attempted to flee from the traffic stop that took place at around 5 a.m. on October 3.

The nine-minute video revealed that Hernandez asked Gomez to step out of her car, which was parked at a public housing complex, in order to question her about alleged trespassing. Gomez initially refused to comply, leading to a confrontation between the two. Hernandez mentioned that a passenger in Gomez’s vehicle had been frequently trespassing in the area and alleged that the passenger pulled out a paintball gun from his waistband as he asked Gomez to exit the vehicle.

Eventually, Gomez agreed to get out of the car after Hernandez threatened to use a Taser on her. However, instead of waiting as instructed, Gomez decided to run away. In response, Hernandez can be heard commanding her to stop before firing three shots.

Fortunately, the passenger in Gomez’s car, Jesus Garcia, aged 38, was unharmed. However, he was subsequently arrested on misdemeanor and felony charges. In light of the tragic incident, family members of Teresa Gomez have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging excessive use of force and violation of their civil rights.

Speaking to CNN, Johny Gomez, Teresa’s son, expressed his distress over the way his mother was treated by the officer, stating, “If you saw the video, the beginning – with the way the officer spoke to my mother – … for any son, any daughter, any mother, any father, it’s difficult to see someone, a grown man, talking to his mother like that – and that wasn’t even the worst part.”

It has been revealed that prior to this incident, Officer Hernandez had been involved in several use-of-force incidents, as reported by the Las Cruces police department. Sharron Kennedy, the family’s attorney, criticized the lack of internal control and oversight within the department, stating that it has contributed to a culture of aggression and acceptance of unlawful use of deadly force, ultimately leading to the preventable death of Teresa Gomez.

If convicted of second-degree murder, Hernandez could face a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of holding law enforcement officers accountable for their actions and ensuring the safety and well-being of the community they serve.