New Mexico city reaches $20 million settlement in death of woman fatally shot by officer

A New Mexico city has reached a $20 million settlement with the family of a woman who was shot and killed by a police officer charged with second-degree murder.

Teresa Gomez, 45, was fatally shot in October 2023 shortly after a Las Cruces police officer on a bicycle approached her while she was sitting in a parked car with another person, authorities said. Body camera video shows the officer shooting Gomez three times as he tried to drive away.

The officer, identified by the city as Felipe Hernandez, was charged in January and fired from the Las Cruces Police Department months later.

“This agreement should be understood as an expression of the deep loss felt by the city over Gomez’s death and the city’s condolences to his family,” the city of Las Cruces said in a news release sent Friday. he said.

Hernandez pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. His hearing will be held on June 2. The Associated Press sent an email Saturday seeking comment from Hernandez’s attorney.

The Gomez family’s attorney said relatives were grateful to the city “for recognizing the injustice of Teresa’s death.” The Las Cruces Sun-News reported.

“They trust that the city will redouble efforts to ensure that no other family suffers the tragedy of losing their loved ones to police misconduct,” Shannon Kennedy told the newspaper. he said.