An Issue of Mistaken Identity and a Dispatch Authority Mistaken Tip Raises Ethical and Procedural Questions

An Otero County family stuggles to get answers from law enforcement officers with the city of Alamogordo, Otero County Sheriff's Department and with and the Tularosa Basin Dispatch Authority. The family is struggling with getting clean information and honest answers concerning a situation of mistaken identity based on a "tip" allegedly called in to the dispatch authority. 

The dispatch authority provided the family sketchy information with incomplete details as to where the "tip" came from. Via IPRA requests and conversations the origin of the "tip" appears to be a mystery. Missing or incomplete records indicate another shortcoming by the dispatch authority that is yet to be fully investigated and resolved. 

The result of a call into dispatch was then multiple Alamogordo Police arriving to a scene guns drawn pointing at a young man with autism that is innocently getting gas for his car.  The gas station is normally policed by the sheriffs office adding to the mystery of this incident. 

The "tip" called in was that the Albuquerque police were on the lookout for an individual that walked away from a rehab program violating his probation requirements. 

The individual in question is pictured below next to the innocent individual on the right that had guns drawn on him..

Looking nothing alike police came full force to Cortez Gas Station guns drawn for a minor probation violation. The police violated an innocent young mans well being. Given the situation, one can only imagine his sense of dread, whenever he sees police, since the overreaction by the police on June 2nd, 2025

Why the over reaction? The video below provides insight into guns drawn...
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8hYrf9P/

The innocent young man held at gunpoint was released 15 minutes after the incident with no apology, and no explanation as to why the police came at him guns loaded. 

The facts after the fact prove a case of mistaken identity based on an unidentified tip mysteriously called onto to dispatch that can't seem to find all the relevant records for release. 

New Mexico Senate Bill 8 which was signed into law requires that all police cameras must be active the entire call with a potential suspect. Via IPRA requests it's become a recognized fact that all law enforcement at the incident did not have cameras on during the full incident. 

In response to the family's IPRA request  there has been ZERO footage released that shows how the innocent young man got to the ground when Alamogordo Police Department had him held at gunpoint. 

Two deputies the night of June 2nd, 2025 never activated their bodycams. The family of the innocent young man who was released 15 minutes after being held. 

According to the family of the innocent victim, "Agent/Officer Jones the city is playing games with his video. Either he didn't activate his or they don't want to release it."

The family released some video and the mother's commentary via a social media. The link is below...

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/191tiZaJaY/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Some odd comments in videos that are concerning is why would a police officer state on video:

1:35 "we are talking too much" 

Also odd to the situation is that the actual arrest of the individual in question that was the one being sought after was not done at gun point and guns blazing...

1:44 "let me see your hands"

1:55 "get your hands behind your back before you get TASED!"

Tased not shot?

In the video link below an officer does offer an apology for the mistake but the response does not explain the multiple guns drawn towards this innocent young man.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FP5gfhjyB/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The mother of the innocent yozng man stated on her social media post: "Remember the cops never, not ever, switched to less lethal force with my family like they did the drug addict human antelope that outran the cops in the desert and was hiding in an "abandoned" house."

"So we have exhausted and winded deputies who probably aren't in a good position to go "hands-on" with a "violent" felon switching to tasers?

If the city and county thought I was pissed before, they ain't seen nothing yet.

The city and county are violating state law about recording calls. If it doesn't upset you that a disabled man was almost shot because of incompetence then get upset they didn't record all of it.

The failure to record can impact you as well.

Maybe a traffic stop not being recorded is what proves the cop violated your rights but you cannot prove it because the video doesn't exist.

Do you think the cops are going to inform you they violated the law?

That their charges just went right out the window because of this failure?

If you still don't care because you don't think it will happen to you, let me ask you, do you care about prosecuting criminals and getting them off the street to protect the community?

How many criminals will escape justice because a cop didn't follow the recording law?

It's time to get angry. It's time to demand accountability. It's time to demand more and better training.

Enough is enough.

While cops can try to justify taking the life of a Native American kid, Elijah Hadley, because he had a pellet gun (usually marked with an orange tip), the deputy, a young inexperienced officer, who had zero backup and was alone in the middle of nowhere and probably scared out of his mind will most likely be their defense.

Now my son, on the other hand, had NOTHING.

Nothing that could even be mistaken as a weapon and multiple cops were present, so plenty of backup, Hadley's killer also followed the recording law, which we should question why this wasn't done with my son.

There was no need nor according to the use of force policy AUTHORIZATION nor cause nor reason to use deadly force on my autistic son.

Enough is enough!"

The commentary above is from a mother that is visibly upset and justifiably so. There are many unanswered questions that this family deserves answers. 

We call on the Otero County Sheriff's Office, Alamogordo Police Department and the Dispatch Authority, each, to apologize formally to this family, release all documents files and videos in question. And finally review what happened, using this incident as a learning opportunity and ensuring processes and procedures are followed so as to ensure no further overreactions. 

Policing is a hard business and we never underestimate the difficulty in the job. However simple processes such as activating lapel cameras and dispatch providing correct information so the proper reaction to a situation is executed is a must.

The lack of transparency related to this incident which could have gone horribly wrong is a problem. This incident could have easily escalated into an innocent death thus it's understandable why the family and this mother is angry. Stay tuned as more information is revealed around this incident and investigations into the "trigger" of the incident continue...

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