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New Mexico homeowner killed by police responding to wrong address

TU Curmudgeon

TU Curmudgeon

B.A. (Sarc), LLb. (Lex Sarcasus), PhD (Sarc.)
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From UPI


April 8 (UPI) -- A homeowner was killed by police responding to the wrong address for a domestic violence call, police in New Mexico said Thursday.

Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in a video message posted to Facebook that officers responded to the 911 call around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Police were intended to respond to 5308 Valley View Avenue in the city but instead showed up to 5305 Valley View Avenue, Hebbe said.

"The officers made several attempts to contact the residents, identifying themselves as police officers," Hebbe said.

"As officers were verifying the address, the homeowner came to the door. The man, Robert Dotson, was armed with a handgun as he opened the door. What followed was a chaotic scene."

COMMENT:-

Do NOT have a gun with you when you open your door.

Wait until you are sure that the people who are claiming to be police officers have identified themselves as home invaders before drawing your hand gun to defend yourself.
 
Again.
 
Going to be pretty hard for anyone to pretend this is a good shoot.
 
braindrain said:
Going to be pretty hard for anyone to pretend this is a good shoot.
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Standard Form Press Release for this type of a situation.​

While the government of the _[fill in the blank]_ deeply regrets what happened and wants to let _[fill in the blank]_ that they are in the hearts and prayers of every member, it must be remembered that the police officers had formed an honest belief that their lives were in imminent danger when confronted by an armed person who did not comply with the orders of the police and appeared to be preparing to fire at the police officers. That armed person did not disarm themselves as the police officers instructed them to do and so the police officers complied with the standing departmental practices and policies in accordance with their training.​
 
TU Curmudgeon said:
From UPI


April 8 (UPI) -- A homeowner was killed by police responding to the wrong address for a domestic violence call, police in New Mexico said Thursday.

Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in a video message posted to Facebook that officers responded to the 911 call around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Police were intended to respond to 5308 Valley View Avenue in the city but instead showed up to 5305 Valley View Avenue, Hebbe said.

"The officers made several attempts to contact the residents, identifying themselves as police officers," Hebbe said.

"As officers were verifying the address, the homeowner came to the door. The man, Robert Dotson, was armed with a handgun as he opened the door. What followed was a chaotic scene."

COMMENT:-

Do NOT have a gun with you when you open your door.

Wait until you are sure that the people who are claiming to be police officers have identified themselves as home invaders before drawing your hand gun to defend yourself.
Click to expand...
Better answer: don't open your door.
 
This looks like there's plenty of blame to go around.
 
That homeowner was no angel. Hindsight is 20/20. This is all just some bad apples. Do we know if we the homeowner had any law breaking relatives? The important thing here is that police are not judged for what may be mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Back the blue! Blue and black US flag!


🙂
 
TU Curmudgeon said:
From UPI


April 8 (UPI) -- A homeowner was killed by police responding to the wrong address for a domestic violence call, police in New Mexico said Thursday.

Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in a video message posted to Facebook that officers responded to the 911 call around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Police were intended to respond to 5308 Valley View Avenue in the city but instead showed up to 5305 Valley View Avenue, Hebbe said.

"The officers made several attempts to contact the residents, identifying themselves as police officers," Hebbe said.

"As officers were verifying the address, the homeowner came to the door. The man, Robert Dotson, was armed with a handgun as he opened the door. What followed was a chaotic scene."

COMMENT:-

Do NOT have a gun with you when you open your door.

Wait until you are sure that the people who are claiming to be police officers have identified themselves as home invaders before drawing your hand gun to defend yourself.
Click to expand...
Shit happens Murica’
 
ElChupacabra said:
In this case it's likely they would have forced their way in, so not a good scenario either way.
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They need a warrant. They are not in "hot pursuit" of a criminal or have the statutory exigent circumstances.
 
zincwarrior said:
Better answer: don't open your door.
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Refusal to open your door when requested to do so by a police officer is something which can foot a reasonable belief that an illegal activity is taking place within which will then justify the police breaking down your door and coming in with "weapons free".

Remember the mantra "He wouldn't have had that happen to him if he had just done what the police told him to do - so what happened to him is all his won fault.".
 
TU Curmudgeon said:
Refusal to open your door when requested to do so by a police officer is something which can foot a reasonable belief that an illegal activity is taking place within which will then justify the police breaking down your door and coming in with "weapons free".

Remember the mantra "He wouldn't have had that happen to him if he had just done what the police told him to do - so what happened to him is all his won fault.".
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Er...no. the conditions have to exist first.
 
zincwarrior said:
Er...no. the conditions have to exist first.
Click to expand...
Um - no they don't. The police don't have to know that you are engaging in suspicious activity before they act because they perceive that you are engaging in suspicious activity.

Remember, in this case the police were acting on information that there was actually an act of domestic violence being performed when they visited what they believed to be the residence where the domestic violence occurred. "Knowing" that an act of domestic violence was being (or had been) preformed and then being confronted by an armed person who had refused to open the door when told that the police were outside is grounds for forming the conclusion that a violent person was confronting them and that would justify the police doing what they did.

At least that's the current state of the law and the practice in the United States of America - and all the "thoughts and prayers" messages won't change that one little bit.

You may not like it, but that's reality.
 
stealthycat said:
reminds me of errors in no-knock warrants and the people killed in them :(
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Yep, "honest belief", "reasonable perception in the circumstances", and "complying with departmental policy as trained" buy a whole lot of "Get Out Of Jail FREE" cards.
 
braindrain said:
Going to be pretty hard for anyone to pretend this is a good shoot.
Click to expand...
Public Sector Unions, man. 50/50 someone on the Force suggested "Searching" the house afterwards and "finding" drugs.
 
TU Curmudgeon said:
Remember, in this case the police were acting on information that there was actually an act of domestic violence being performed when they visited what they believed to be the residence where the domestic violence occurred. "Knowing" that an act of domestic violence was being (or had been) preformed and then being confronted by an armed person who had refused to open the door when told that the police were outside is grounds for forming the conclusion that a violent person was confronting them and that would justify the police doing what they did.
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Thats not sufficient to have to answer the door. You can speak thought the door or not answer it. Absent a warrant they require consent or exigent circumstances. Slight detour but in Texas:
"Exigent circumstances justifying a warrantless entry include
  • Rendering aid or assistance to persons whom the officers reasonably believe are in need of assistance;
  • Preventing destruction of evidence or contraband;
  • Protecting the officers from persons whom they reasonably believe to be present and armed and dangerous."
In my case I have had this situation while in an an apartment, and was armed. But once I saw it was police I opened it (obviously not with a firearm), and after a minute of confusion they clarified it was the wrong unit after doing the "whats going on" routine. but that was during the day. Personally, if its late at night, I am not opening it until I have proof of who it is. If I am comfortable that it is police I will answer the door but not answer questions in case its bad news that I need to hear (daughter in a wreck, or once - a wildfire). If I am unsure its the police I have no problem calling 911 to confirm first.
 
TU Curmudgeon said:
From UPI


April 8 (UPI) -- A homeowner was killed by police responding to the wrong address for a domestic violence call, police in New Mexico said Thursday.

Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in a video message posted to Facebook that officers responded to the 911 call around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Police were intended to respond to 5308 Valley View Avenue in the city but instead showed up to 5305 Valley View Avenue, Hebbe said.

"The officers made several attempts to contact the residents, identifying themselves as police officers," Hebbe said.

"As officers were verifying the address, the homeowner came to the door. The man, Robert Dotson, was armed with a handgun as he opened the door. What followed was a chaotic scene."

COMMENT:-

Do NOT have a gun with you when you open your door.

Wait until you are sure that the people who are claiming to be police officers have identified themselves as home invaders before drawing your hand gun to defend yourself.
Click to expand...
A couple of changes to police procedure Might reduce the odds of such tragedies. Obviously, paying closer attention to addresses. Approaching the home at night--use full lights and sirens and leave them on until you have interacted with the occupants. This will leave them with considerably less doubt as to cops identity. This might piss off the neighbors, but the benefit outweighs this aggravation.
 
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