top of page
Writer's pictureSam Orlando

Wrong House, Wrongful Death: Family Mourns After Police Shooting in New Mexico


Written by: Ismael Barrios


Albuquerque, NM - The tragic shooting of Robert Dotson in New Mexico and the recent incident of the wrong hotel room raid in Boston have brought into sharp focus the need for better communication and accuracy in emergency responses and training exercises. The Farmington Police Department responded to a domestic violence call, but due to an error, officers went to the wrong address, resulting in the fatal shooting of Dotson. The FBI and US Army Special Operations Command were conducting a training exercise in Boston when they raided the wrong hotel room, detaining an innocent person. Both incidents have raised questions about the need for better protocols and communication during emergency responses and training exercises.


According to the New Mexico State Police, responding officers mistakenly approached Dotson's home, resulting in his tragic death. Armed with a handgun, Dotson's wife exchanged gunfire with the officers, but she was not injured. Responding officers, who were not injured in the shooting, have not been publicly identified. The incident is currently under investigation by the New Mexico State Police.


In a separate incident, the FBI and the US Army Special Operations Command were conducting a training exercise in Boston when they raided the wrong hotel room, detaining an innocent person. The incident took place at the Revere Hotel Boston Common, and no one was injured. The detained individual was later released, and the incident is currently under review by the authorities.


The incidents of the wrong address shooting and the wrong hotel room raid highlight the need for better communication and accuracy during emergency responses and training exercises. Authorities need to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future, and those responsible are held accountable for their actions.


Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe expressed his regret and condolences to the Dotson family, stating that "Mr. Dotson was not the subject of this call...This ending is just unbelievably tragic. I’m extremely sorry that we’re in this position." The FBI also issued an apology to the person mistakenly detained during the training exercise, with Lt. Col. Mike Burns stating, "we’d like to extend our deepest apologies to the individual who was affected by the training exercise."


The incidents serve as a reminder of the importance of accurate information and communication in emergency responses and training exercises, and the need for better protocols to avoid such tragedies in the future.

4 views0 comments

Kommentare


bottom of page