Last month, a New Mexico police officer shot and killed a 75-year-old woman whose family said she was suffering from dementia. Now, an investigation has been launched, Newsweek reports.
While the incident happened in April, body cam footage of the incident has just been released. In the video, the officer asks two women who were already in the home to leave the house. The officer then confronts the woman, identified as Amelia Baca, who appears to be holding two knives.
Instead of trying to deescalate the situation, the officer then starts yelling repeatedly to drop the knives. Baca, looking confused, doesn’t follow his orders, and the officer then fires two shots at the Baca after she slightly stepped forward. She then crumples to the floor. Baca’s family can he heard crying hysterically in the background.
According to reports, the officer has been placed in administrative leave while the investigation continues.
Baca’s grandson, Bryan Guiterrez, said she lived with dementia and was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the shooting.
“My aunt ended up calling the police so they can get an ambulance to try to get her help,” Gutierrez said.
“The officer kept telling her, put the knife down. Put the knife down. When they finally pushed my cousin and my aunt away, the officer shot two shots at my grandma.”
Watch the video below (Warning: graphic):
WARNING: GRAPHIC ⚠️ A 75-year-old woman suffering dementia was shot and killed by a police officer in New Mexico pic.twitter.com/MxZwCkqxA5
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) May 12, 2022
