* (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) *
Las Cruces, New Mexico — The Las Cruces Police Department released body camera video of the officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of 75-year-old Amelia Baca who was holding two knives in her hands on April 16. Baca, had dementia, according to her family. Police were called after she allegedly was threatening members of the family. In the video, the first officer who approaches the door tells two family members who were with Baca to step out of the house.
As the two women exit the house, one tells the officer Baca is holding knives, is mentally ill and asks him not to shoot her. An officer’s body camera captures Baca holding a kitchen knife in each hand. The officer commands Baca multiple times to drop the knives, but she doesn’t. The officer, the women and Baca all appear to yell for 40 seconds, then the video provided by the city blurs the final couple of seconds before Baca is shot. Audio from the video shows the officer fired two rounds. The city has yet to release the name of the officer who fired the fatal shots.
Donate to PoliceActivity: https://www.patreon.com/PoliceActivity
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoliceActivity
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Police_Activity
Timestamps:
0:00 – 911 Call
1:41 – Bodycam Footage of OIS
** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) **
Is it just me or did this cop take this to a level 10+ IMMEDIATELY?
No one else is in danger? Create space and don’t escalate so fast. You could tell in his voice he had decided which way this was going to go.
Sad.
My grandmother recently passed away with dementia. This is heartbreaking. I’m so sorry for the family. What a horrific disease. I can’t help but think that the officer could have backed off and given her time to get back to her senses.
she didn’t know what the officer was saying she didn’t speak english, but maybe bro could of handled things different , She wasn’t threatening him , she was threatening the fam & they was already safe .
It’s the “SIR GET DOWN SIR GET DOWN SIR GET DOWN†video all over again
Bruh. Really? Dude put two rounds into her.. There were a few solutions to avoid that tragic incident, right in front of her daughters too. Fuck up man!
Seems like he could have disarmed her in other ways. I don't think shooting an old, sick woman was necessary 😔
We treat mental health issues in this country with police bullets
What's with the screaming all the time. Someone screaming at you like a lunatic will not de-escalate you.
Wow , brave cops shooting a lady with a knife , ! Bloody trigger happy yanks
Where do they get these cops from? He should be prosecuted for this. She was mentally ill and may not even speak english.
how about trying to taser her first either she dies also or she just drops.
This officer is an asshole
no taser?. or shoot in the leg? dammnn bro.
Cops could have handled that without lethal. Shooting her was not necessary.
It didn't even look like the lady tried to advance toward the officer. Bad shoot if you ask me.
This cops horrible that’s not how you de escalate screaming and cursing
Grown man could have easily tased her, kicked her in the mouth and taken control. Why shoot? If you’re that scared, why be a cop? Why not a teacher ?
Uggh that sucked 😒
Nope, she did not deserve that.
Didn't even try to taser her first.
This is the exact reason people step in front of cops, trigger happy a hole like him make people want to commit capital murder.
OMG! Stupid cop… She was no threat to him. 75 with Dementia. Arrest this police officer now!!!
Its awful that the family call in for the cops to help, help isn't always killing someone, here in ireland and england our police force dont have guns, we deal with these situations differently. Life is precious and i understand she was a threat to the officer, but can murder be avoided? … yes, look at ireland and england how they deal with these scenarios
I’m all for shooting everyone with a weapon that won’t comply with Police commands but this was unbelievably unnecessary. Neither the cop nor any family members were in danger.
Dementia didn't kill this old lady. A cop did.
Did dispatch communicate that the person had dementia?
If they didn't I don't blame the officer. If they did I 100% blame the officer and that was a horrible shoot.
Probably would’ve made much more sense here to just shut the door in her face
Welp he's going to hell
Should of BolaWrapped her. But seriously, what a shitty situation
Never call the cops on your loved ones. She instantly regretted making that call once she seen the cop raise his gun at her. I would have risked ambushing her myself instead of dialing 911. She was 75 years old. Pretty sure those 2 adults together could have plot a strategy to disarm her.
Ð’ Ñту Ñтарушку Ñ Ð´ÐµÐ¼ÐµÐ½Ñ†Ð¸ÐµÐ¹ можно было и не ÑтрелÑÑ‚ÑŒ, Ñ ÑƒÐ²ÐµÑ€ÐµÐ½, что офицер Ñмог бы её обезоружить, применив проÑто Ñилу и ловкоÑÑ‚ÑŒ, тем более когда она выброÑила второй нож, ведь перед ним был не крепкий мужик был… Ðу и про Ñзык дипломатии не Ñтоило было забывать, а он орал как пÑих, чем ещё больше наколил обÑтановку…
1:49 she knows he's a white male cop right? she's lucky he didn't shoot her….
Hmmmmm …….
Seriously !?!? Why not a taser??? Don't people know that calling the police in the US is like a death sentence. Then a swearing policeman. Hey cop can be proud of you. Killed an old woman. psychopath !!!
Could have tazed her or something my goodness
Cop should have just disengaged and went to the street to await for better direction
Very sad, but she is a person with a weapon. Don't blame police
ty police activity for showing the good and the bad actions, i dont know if the officer had that many options at that time, but surely the entire dispatch could be more aware of the mental condition of that old lady
I think this should have been handled differently. Don't these cops have tasers? That would have been effective.
dreadfully handled, cops like this are nothing but a joke. He could have backed off, drawn tazer, anything really. He couldn't wait to get his "i shot someone" patch for his camo pajamas.
I used to take care of my neighbor’s 90+ year old father who suffered from dementia. We’d be sitting on the couch watching football all peacefully when he’d suddenly turn to me, not know who i am, and demand i leave. When i explained who i was he ended up grabbing scissors and demanding i get out of “his†house.
It’s sad, cuz he was the sweetest old man, but dementia could turn him violent.
Sucks that the cop had to do this. Just because she’s old doesn’t mean those knives aren’t deadly force, and the cop needed to look out for his own life
Cop. Did not need to shoot. She remained in her house the entire time. Did not advance in fact, she was in the same spot where he continued to tell her to drop the knife. Bad shoot. Fire the cop
Bring charges
Damn! What about less lethal weapons?!
Godawful police work. You hate to see it
If this cop was willing to shoot an old woman with dementia he deserves to be hung. I know all about the dangers of someone with a knife but there’s no way that man could have felt she had the ability to harm him. What a fucking piece of trash.
I know tasers often don't work, but it seems with this small lady it could have been tried first. It didn't appear that she charged him. In the vast majority of these police videos, I'm with the Blue, but this one was a tragedy that might possibly have been avoided.
This is why training police like robots is a bad idea.
What happen to calling a Spanish officer?? I know they thought they were doing the right thing calling cops but obviously they regret that now!!!!