New Mexico Officers Involved in Fatal Shooting Not Charged After Wrong Door Incident

Authorities in New Mexico have decided not to press charges against three police officers who were involved in a fatal shooting last year. The officers, based in Farmington, mistakenly arrived at the wrong house and fired multiple shots, killing 52-year-old Robert Dotson, who was holding a gun when he opened the front door of his home. The officers had been responding to a domestic violence call from a neighboring house. Mr. Dotson's family filed a lawsuit against the police department, claiming that the officers parked down the street without their lights on and immediately fired at Mr. Dotson without giving him a chance to identify himself. The officers later stated that Mr. Dotson's wife had fired at them with a pistol. In a letter, the New Mexico Deputy Attorney General stated that the officers' use of force was not excessive and their approach to the wrong house was reasonable. An analysis in the report concluded that both Mr. Dotson and his wife posed an imminent threat to the officers. The Dotson family's attorney expressed disappointment in the decision, highlighting the concern that people may not feel safe in their own homes. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called for systemic change in police use of force policies in the state. A separate lawsuit has been filed against the department in federal court, accusing one of the officers of instantly opening fire and alleging that Mr. Dotson was blinded by police flashlights and unaware of who was in his yard.