By Maria Ortiz
Nov 23, 2024, 10:22 PM EST
The city of Las Cruces in New Mexico reached a payment agreement of $20 million dollars with the family of a Latina woman who was shot to death by a police officer, in an incident of police abuse.
The agreement, which represents the largest financial payment for a civil lawsuit filed against the city, came after the death of Teresa Gómez, 45 years old, who was shot by former police officer Felipe Hernández on October 3, 2023.
A nine-minute video from Hernandez’s body camera revealed how the police stopped the car that Gómez was driving and questioned the woman for allegedly trespassing.
The Latina was accompanied by a passenger who had a criminal record and was wanted by the authorities.
Initially Gómez obeyed the agent’s orders to get out of the vehicle, but minutes later he tried to flee in the car, which caused The police officer shot him at least three times..
The Doña Ana County Prosecutor’s Office He accused Hernández of second-degree murder with firearm aggravation. The trial against the agent is scheduled to take place in June 2025.
Gómez’s family sued the city and the Las Cruces Police Department for excessive use of forcewhich led the city to reach an agreement.
In a statement cited by television station KOB4, Gómez’s family said they are grateful to the city of Las Cruces for recognize the injustice of Teresa’s death and redouble efforts to combat abusive police behavior.
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