In a tragic incident last month, a grandmother was fatally shot by a police officer in Las Cruces, New Mexico, raising concerns about the use of force by the local police department. The incident occurred when Teresa Gomez, 45, was sitting in her car before dawn and was approached by a uniformed officer who accused her and her passenger of trespassing. The encounter quickly escalated, with the officer shouting commands laced with profanity and threatening Gomez with arrest and physical harm.

According to footage from the officer's body-worn camera, Gomez explained that she was looking for her misplaced keys and was unaware of any visitor rules at the public housing complex where they were parked. While Gomez complied with the officer's requests to step out of her car, her passenger was not subjected to the same treatment.

After finding her car keys and returning to the driver's seat with the officer's permission, Gomez attempted to drive away. However, the officer, identified as Felipe Hernandez, fired multiple shots at her car, striking Gomez. She was rushed to the hospital but did not survive her injuries.

The incident has sparked outrage and led to a federal lawsuit filed by Gomez's family against the city, the police chief, and three members of the police force. The lawsuit alleges excessive force and violation of Gomez's civil rights. The Las Cruces Police Department has acknowledged that one of the officer's rounds hit Gomez and has placed Hernandez on paid administrative leave pending further investigation by a multi-agency county task force.

Tragically, this was not the only deadly encounter involving the Las Cruces Police Department under scrutiny. On the same day as Gomez's shooting, another officer turned himself in on a voluntary manslaughter charge for the fatal shooting of a Black man who had left a gas station without paying for a beer. The state's attorney general, Raul Torrez, has expressed concern about a potential pattern of conduct within the department, prompting a closer examination of its practices.

Attorney Shannon Kennedy, representing Gomez's family, criticized the Las Cruces Police Department's lack of internal oversight and supervision, stating that it had allowed a culture of aggression to develop and contributed to the preventable death of Teresa Gomez. Interim Police Chief Jeremy Story assured that a thorough review of training, policy, and equipment would be conducted, emphasizing the need for an objective response that does not influence the criminal investigation.

As the investigation unfolds, Gomez's family members are left grappling with the shocking and tragic outcome of her encounter with the police. They question where things went wrong and express their deep sorrow at seeing their loved one killed under such circumstances.

The Las Cruces Police Department now faces intense scrutiny over its handling of encounters with the public and its use of force. State Attorney General Raul Torrez has expressed concern about the department's conduct and has called for a more comprehensive examination. The fate of both Gomez and the Black man fatally shot by another officer hangs in the balance, raising pressing questions about the need for meaningful reform in policing practices.