US Police Responding to 'Domestic Violence' Incident Mistakenly Shoot Wrong House Resulting in 'Wrongful Death'

A tragic incident occurred when U.S. police officers responding to a domestic violence report mistakenly went to the wrong house and fatally shot an innocent person.

According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 17th (local time), on the night of the 5th, three police officers from Farmington, New Mexico, responded to a report at 5308 Valley View Avenue in the area. The caller, who identified herself as a 14-year-old girl, reportedly hid in her room crying after hearing her mother say, "Dad has been shot, call 911."

On the 5th, Robert Dotson (52), who lives in Farmington, New Mexico, USA, is seen opening his front door and coming out just before being shot by the police.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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However, the police went to 5305, the house across from the caller's residence. The officers knocked on the door of 5305 several times, and when there was no response, they questioned each other whether they had the correct house and tried to verify the address again via radio. These actions were fully recorded on their body cameras.

About two minutes after knocking, the homeowner, Robert Dotson (52), opened the door holding a handgun. The police immediately shot him. After Dotson was shot, his wife screamed and fired several shots outside. The police returned fire in the darkness, resulting in a brief shootout, but the wife stopped shooting upon realizing those outside were police officers. Fortunately, there were no injuries.

The NYT reported that the New Mexico police authorities are currently investigating the incident. Steve Hebb, chief of the Farmington Police Department, stated in a press release, "We will not disclose the names of the three officers who responded to the scene until it is determined that releasing their names will not interfere with the investigation."

The Farmington Police Department released footage showing the homeowner Dotson opening the door holding a handgun while officers shone flashlights from a distance. The video was edited in slow motion to highlight the moment Dotson appeared to raise the gun toward the police just before being shot, with a red circle emphasizing the handgun. The audio also captured police shouting at Dotson's wife to raise her hands. Meanwhile, in the U.S., there was a similar incident in 2021 where responding officers mistakenly identified a domestic violence victim as the perpetrator and fatally shot him.

In October 2021, Michael Craig (61) from Chicago, U.S., called for police assistance, saying, "My wife is threatening to kill me with a weapon to my neck." When two officers arrived, they immediately fired two shots upon entering through the open front door. Craig, the reporting husband, was killed instantly.

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