Robert Dotson: Bodycam footage shows innocent man being fatally shot by New Mexico cops after mistaken domestic violence response
FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO: A bodycam footage released by Farmington Police showed the harrowing moment New Mexico police officers fatally shot an innocent man named Robert Dotson, 52, after mistakenly approaching the wrong house to respond to a domestic violence call. Shortly after, the cops were also seen firing toward Dotson’s screaming widow. In the video, three officers could be seen knocking at the door of a house while discussing a potential confusion about reaching the wrong address.
Meanwhile, Dotson could be seen opening the door armed with a gun before being shot dead by the cops. His widow, Kimberly Jones-Dotson, could then be heard screaming from inside the house before approaching the door with another firearm. She could then be seen firing toward the officers before being met with return fire. The woman is later seen dropping the weapon after realizing that the individuals outside her home are cops. Officers were reportedly supposed to visit 5308 Valley View Avenue but ended up knocking at 5305 Valley View Avenue on April 5 leading to the fatal shootout, the Daily Mail reported.
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‘Please, don’t’
The shocking bodycam footage showing the fatal shooting of Robert Dotson at the hands of New Mexico officers opens with a cop knocking at a door three times. The three officers are then seen discussing whether they are at the wrong address. “Is this not 5308? That's what it said right there, right?” the officer at the door can be heard asking. “No, it said 5305 didn't it?” his partner is heard responding. The first officer is then seen seeking confirmation over his intercom with the dispatcher stating the address is “5308.”
The officer is then heard saying, “So they told me the wrong…” before being cut off by the sound of laughter from a third officer who is seen standing a few feet away from the door. Shortly after, the cops can be seen backing away from the house before noticing Dotson opening the door with a raised gun in his hand. The cops could then be heard screaming, “Hey! Hey! What the…?!” before fatally shooting Dotson on the spot. “One down, move out” the cops can be heard saying before the sounds of a woman screaming from inside the house are captured in the audio.
The woman, later identified as Dotson’s wife, is seen at the door with a firearm. “Please, don’t,” one officer could be heard saying under his breath, seemingly over the fear of another shootout. The woman is then seen firing toward the cops prompting them to return fire. The footage came to a close after the end of the exchange of gunfire. Jones-Dotson reportedly dropped her weapon and complied with the officers’ commands after realizing the individuals outside her home were cops, the Daily Mail reported.
‘The results of it are terrible’
In the wake of the incident, Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said he had no explanation about the officers turning up at the wrong address. “That's the worst part of this for us. I can't give you that explanation right now. That is part of the interviews and that's what the state police will be looking at,” he said in a statement after the shooting. “You know that, that really is something that the officers are going to have to talk with the state police about it and certainly, you know, the results of it are terrible,” Hebbe added.
The chief also offered his condolences to the Dotson family saying, “All of us – the men and women of the Farmington Police Department – recognize the severity of this shooting. We will do everything possible to more fully understand what transpired here.” He continued, “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.”
Hebbe also assured that the shooting will be investigated and state police will work towards determining why officers visited the wrong house. Two officers involved in the shooting have been part of the department for around five years while another has served for three, he confirmed. The Dotson family reportedly reviewed the bodycam footage with their attorney at the San Juan County District Attorney's Office before it was made available to the public. Jones-Dotson was uninjured during the shooting and has not been charged with a crime. No officers suffered from any injuries and have been placed on administrative leave.