A New Mexico Cop Claims He Shot a Grandmother in Self-Defense. He’s Now Charged With Her Murder

The New Mexico police officer who claimed that he shot a grandmother in self-defense has been charged with second-degree murder.

Las Cruces police officer Felipe Hernandez was arrested Tuesday after he turned himself over to authorities, and he was placed on administrative leave in connection to his involvement in the shooting of Teresa Gomez, 45, last year, local news station KFOX 14 reported.

Hernandez approached Gomez on October 3 when she was inside her car with another passenger at a public housing area. The officer asked Gomez to step out of the car so he could ask her questions. 

The 45-year-old told the officer that she was visiting a friend, but he claimed that she was trespassing along with the passenger, identified as 38-year-old Jesus Garcia. 

Gomez then asked if she could sit back in her car, the officer writing down information agreed. She then tried to speed away as she stepped back in the car, but Hernandez shot her.

Bodycam footage showed Hernandez shoot Gomez at least three times while she was trying to escape. She was later transferred to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

Doña Ana County District Attorney Gerald Byers said his office investigated the incident and found that Hernandez had no justification to use his weapon.

“There was no necessity for him to use deadly force," said Byers. "We looked at self-defense. There was no self-defense."

The family of the victim, who was a grandmother, has filed a federal-wrongful-death lawsuit against the city and the police, claiming excessive use of force and violation of her civil rights, the New York Post reported.

Hernandez was unable to handle the situation with Gomez, according to Byers.

“From the very beginning of Mr. Hernandez’s interaction with Ms. Gomez, the ability to manage protocol is non-existent. His interactions with her, just on a human level, was exceptionally subpar and did not meet the standards that LCPD demands of its officers," said Byers.