A city in New Mexico is paying out millions of dollars to the family of a woman who was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop in October of last year. More than a year after the shooting, the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico, announced that it has reached a $20 million settlement with the family of 45-year-old Teresa Gomez.
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In a statement on Monday, Nov. 25, the city said that the settlement does not admit “criminal guilt” on the officer involved in the shooting and the city maintains it will respect the criminal justice process. The city added, “This settlement should be understood as a statement of the city’s profound feeling of loss for the death of Gomez and of the city’s condolences to her family.”
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An attorney for Gomez’ family said they are thankful that the city has recognized the “injustice of Teresa’s death” and hope Las Cruces will make sure no other family has to suffer losing a family member to police violence.
The officer’s legal team did not have a response at the time of this report.
Bodycam footage of the shooting shows now former Las Cruces police Officer Felipe Hernandez fatally shooting Gomez during a traffic stop.
Hernandez can be heard questioning Gomez and her passenger as he accused them of trespassing. Hernandez said Gomez’ passenger had multiple warrants for trespassing as the pair sat in Gomez vehicle.
Gomez told Hernandez she could not find her keys. As the incident of around nine minutes unfolded, Hernandez can be heard telling Gomez, “I will make your life a living hell. I will tow your car.”
The confrontation ends with Gomez starting her car and attempting to drive away as the Hernandez yells, “stop,” several times. Hernandez then opens fire on the vehicle and calls in “shots fired” to his radio.
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Gomez later died from the gunshot wounds at a hospital. The passenger in the incident was not injured.
Hernandez was fired following the shooting, and awaits a trial scheduled for June of 2025 on second degree murder charges in Gomez’ death.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Tags: Civil court, Death, Gun violence, Homicide, Lawsuit, Money, Murder, New Mexico, Police, Police officers, Police violence, Settlements
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
A CITY IN NEW MEXICO IS PAYING OUT MILLIONS TO THE FAMILY OF A WOMAN WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A POLICE OFFICER DURING A TRAFFIC STOP IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
BODYCAM FOOTAGE OF THE INCIDENT SHOWS NOW-FORMER LAS CRUCES [CRUISE-ES] POLICE OFFICER FELIPE HERNANDEZ FATALLY SHOOTING TERESA GOMEZ.
A WARNING, THIS VIDEO CONTAINS DISTURBING SCENES.
HERE’S FOOTAGE OF THE STOP.
[FELIPE HERNANDEZ]
STEP OUT. STEP OUT, MAAM. I’M GONNA STEP OUT. STEP OUT NOW OR I’M GONNA PULL YOU OUT.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
HERNANDEZ QUESTIONED GOMEZ AND HER PASSENGER, ACCUSING THEM OF TRESPASSING AND TELLS GOMEZ TO STEP OUT OF THE CAR.
[FELIPE HERNANDEZ]
LET’S NOT MAKE THIS F***ING DIFFICULT. I WILL REALLY, I WILL REALLY MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING HELL. I WILL TOW YOUR CAR.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
EVENTUALLY, GOMEZ ATTEMPTS TO DRIVE OFF AND HERNANDEZ OPENS FIRE ON THE VEHICLE.
[FELIPE HERNANDEZ]
STOP. STOP. STOP.
SHOTS FIRED. SHOTS FIRED.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
GOMEZ DIED AT THE HOSPITAL.
NOW, MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER THE SHOOTING, LAS CRUCES HAS REACHED A 20 MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT WITH GOMEZ’ FAMILY.
IN A STATEMENT MONDAY, THE CITY SAYS THE SETTLEMENT DOES NOT ADMIT “CRIMINAL GUILT” ON THE PART OF HERNANDEZ AND MAINTAINS IT WILL RESPECT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS.
SAYING, “THIS SETTLEMENT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AS A STATEMENT OF THE CITY’S PROFOUND FEELING OF LOSS FOR THE DEATH OF GOMEZ AND OF THE CITY’S CONDOLENCES TO HER FAMILY.”
AN ATTORNEY FOR GOMEZ’ FAMILY SAID THEY ARE THANKFUL THE CITY RECOGNIZED THE “INJUSTICE OF TERESA’S DEATH” AND HOPE LAS CRUCES WILL MAKE SURE NO OTHER FAMILY HAS TO SUFFER LOSING A FAMILY MEMBER TO POLICE VIOLENCE.
HERNANDEZ’ LEGAL TEAM DID NOT HAVE A RESPONSE AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT.
HERNANDEZ WAS FIRED FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING AND AWAITS A TRIAL SCHEDULED FOR JUNE OF NEXT YEAR ON SECOND DEGREE MURDER CHARGES IN GOMEZ’ DEATH.
HE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY.
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.
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