Dead Man's Family Furious Over Police 'Assassination' at Wrong House

The family of a man who was shot and killed by police in New Mexico after they responded to the wrong address earlier this month have called for the officers to be charged with murder.

Robert Dotson, 52, was fatally shot in the doorway of his home on April 5 when three officers with the Farmington Police Department (FPD) showed up at the wrong address—5305 Valley View Avenue instead of 5308—while responding to a domestic violence call.

It is one of a number of shootings that have taken place in doorways or driveways across the United States after someone has shown up at the wrong address, putting the nation's "Stand Your Ground" law in the spotlight once again.

At a press conference on Thursday, the Dotson family's legal team announced they would be filing a civil lawsuit in federal court. The family has also called for the firing or resignation of Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe.

"This was a straight-up assassination of Robert Lee Dotson," the family's attorney Shon Northam said, according to the Farmington Daily Times.

"I am so angry," Dotson's widow, Kim Dotson, said during the press conference, referring to the officers involved being placed on paid administrative leave.

The officers involved remain on leave pending the outcome of the investigation by the New Mexico State Police. Meanwhile, the State Police Investigations Bureau has said it will share its findings with the district attorney once the review is complete.

Northam said the family is waiting for the agency to finish its investigation before filing the lawsuit.

Luis Robles, an attorney representing the officers, issued a statement on Friday that was shared on the FPD's Facebook, responding to what he called "inflammatory statements" made by Dotson's family and attorney.

The statement, which identified the officers involved as Waylon Wasson, Daniel Estrada and Dylan Goodluck, said Dotson had "created the set of circumstances that gave the officers no real choice but to use deadly force."

Police had mistakenly gone to Dotson's home instead of one across the street where the incident was reported at around 11:30 p.m. local time. Citing body camera footage, state police said in a news release on April 6 that Dotson had opened his door armed with a handgun as officers backed away from the residence. The officers opened fire, striking Dotson.

The officers knocked on the door and announced themselves as police officers three times, according to Robles. When no one answered the door, Wasson contacted a dispatcher to verify the address of the reporting party.

He "heard the distinctive sound of someone inside the house rack a firearm," Robles wrote. "Fearing that this person was preparing to shoot at them, all three officers quickly backed away from the porch."

The lawyer added that Dotson "abruptly swung the door open" with a gun. The officers drew their weapons, ordered Dotson to put his hands up, but he ignored their commands and "pointed his gun directly at Officer Wasson."

All three officers fired at Dotson, who then disappeared inside, Robles wrote, adding that moments later, Kim Dotson "opened the front door and pointed a gun at them." The officers' orders for her to show her hands were ignored, and the officers "had no choice but to return fire."

A news release from the state police, citing body camera footage, said once Kim Dotson "realized that the individuals outside the residence were officers, she put the gun down and complied with the officer's commands." She has not been charged with a crime.

Robles wrote that Dotson's death was a tragedy, but added that it was important to remember that no one forced Mr. and Mrs. Dotson to point guns at the officers.

"No one forced Mrs. Dotson to shoot at Officer Wasson. The officers were clearly visible, calmly announced themselves multiple times, and did nothing to suggest they were trying to force their way into the Dotsons' home," Robles wrote. "And yet Mr. and Mrs. Dotson made an incomprehensible decision that put themselves and these officers in grave danger. The officers' actions were justified, and I stand by their decision to use deadly force."

Meanwhile, lawyers for the Dotson family responded on Saturday, calling the officers' version of events "incendiary, inflammatory and wholly inaccurate."

The officers "callously murdered" Dotson without justification, Northam and Mark Reichel, another family attorney, wrote in their statement.

"Now, adding insult to a horrific and traumatic psychological and emotional injury, the FPD released a ridiculously false narrative intended and designed to shift focus away from the murderous actions of the officers and to blame Robbie," the statement added.

The lawyer's said that narrative is easily "debunked and disproved simply by reviewing the body camera footage and Ring camera footage," adding that video evidence shows the quiet residential neighborhood was dark when officers arrived after being given the correct address along with a photo of the house.

When they knocked on the door, their announcement "was not loud," the attorneys wrote. When the officer asked dispatch to call the house, "no phone is heard ringing; no sound is heard at all."

Wasson and the officers already knew they were at the wrong address at that point, the attorneys said. "They laugh and know they were were at the wrong house."

The family's attorneys also disputed that the officer heard the racking of a gun, saying it was the unlocking of a door. "When he hears the door being unlocked—as if he is completely unprepared for that occurrence—he yells 's***!' and begins to panic. So do the other officers," they wrote.

They added: "Let's be clear on what we must all agree on at this point: the homeowner was not opening his door was the officers 'we in the process of verifying the address.' That is a false statement that the FPD intentionally crafts in an attempt to mislead."

When the door was opened by Dotson, "hey" and "heads" were screamed at him, the attorneys wrote. "There is no announcement of 'POLICE' despite more than ample time. And that is obviously crucial/ Wrong address. Late at night. The Dotsons never called the police."

According to the attorneys, a "freeze frame of the tape shows Robbie holding the gun, and not pointing it at the officers. Rather, the gun is clearly pointed down at the ground."

Kim Dotson exchanged gunfire with the officers after finding her husband shot in the doorway, while the officers shouted "don't do it" and "hands up," the attorneys continued. "Then, when she was advised that they were the police, she set the gun down."

They added: "The facts of this crime committed by the officers will not go away and neither will the community and the family's joint pursuit of Justice for Robbie."

Newsweek has contacted the attorneys for the Dotson family and the officers for further comment.