Las Cruces police officer Felipe Hernandez has been charged with murder for the shooting of Teresa Gomez
According to police reports Las Cruces Officer Felipe Hernandez would pull over Teresa Gomez on a traffic stop. During the interaction Hernandez demanded that Teresa Gomez get out of the vehicle and threatened to use a taser if she did not. Teresa Gomez would comply Hernandez would focus on her passenger Jesus Garcia who was known to trespass in the area.
Teresa Gomez would be allowed to get back in her car. Once inside she attempted to drive away and Felipe Hernandez would fire three times into the vehicle, striking the woman and killing her
Felipe Hernandez would later say that the shooting took place as he was in fear for his life. Unfortunately for him the entire incident would be caught on body cam
Felipe Hernandez would be charged with second degree murder with a firearm enhancement
Felipe Hernandez Video
Felipe Hernandez News
The Las Cruces police officer who shot and killed a 45-year-old woman during an officer-involved shooting last October has been charged with 2nd-degree murder and was arrested Tuesday.
The officer identified as Felipe Hernandez is being charged with second-degree murder.
Hernandez remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Hernandez turned himself in Tuesday morning.
“The DA office came to that determination after reviewing all the evidence submitted by the officer-involved shooting task force,” said Doña Ana County District Attorney Gerald Byers.
“From the very beginning of Mr. Hernandez’s interaction with Ms. Gomez, the ability to manage protocol is non-existent. His interactions with her, just on a human level, was exceptionally subpar and did not meet the standards that LCPD demands of its officers,” said Byers.
Byers said his office looked to see if there was justification for Hernandez to use his firearm.
“There was no necessity for him to use deadly force,” said Byers. “We looked at self-defense. There was no self-defense.”
At about 4:45 a.m. on Oct. 3, a Las Cruces police officer made contact with 45-year-old Teresa Gomez, along with a passenger in her vehicle, near the 1300 block of Burley Court.
In the body cam video, Hernandez an 8-year veteran officer shot at least three times at Gomez while she was trying to run away.
Before the shooting happened, the officer asked Gomez to step out of the car so he could ask her questions which at first she denied before complying.
Gomez told the officer she was at a public housing after hours visiting a friend named Butterfly. The officer then went on to explain that she was trespassing.
The officer also noted the passenger in the car was also a frequent trespasser in the area.
As the video goes on, Gomez asks if she can sit back down in the car.
The officer who was writing down the information said yes but instead Gomez started the car and tried to drive away.
The officer shot three rounds.
Gomez was taken to an area hospital where she died.
Jesus Garcia, 38, the passenger in Gomez’s vehicle, was not injured. He was subsequently arrested on misdemeanor and felony warrants.
