A video recorded on a rural street in New Mexico has triggered outrage, legal costs, and the dismissal of 4 sheriff’s deputies. The footage reveals former Grant County Deputy Alejandro Gomez hurling a child rabbit into the aspect of a patrol car, killing the animal.
A deputy in New Mexico killed a child rabbit throughout an in a single day shift.
The Incident on a Grime Highway
The occasion occurred throughout an in a single day shift close to Hachita. Deputies stopped once they noticed a small rabbit on the street. In accordance with the Day by day Mail and court docket paperwork, one deputy tried to maneuver the animal to security when Gomez demanded to carry it, . His colleagues resisted, fearing for the rabbit’s welfare.
“You’re going to f***ing kill it,” one deputy allegedly mentioned.
Courtroom paperwork reveal Gomez escalated the state of affairs by pointing a Taser at his fellow deputy, forcing him at hand over the rabbit. Gomez swore he wouldn’t hurt the animal, in accordance with UNILAD, however moments later, he smiled for the digital camera and flung the rabbit with such power that it hit the patrol automobile with an audible thud. One other deputy, seeing the accidents, shot the rabbit to finish its struggling, the affidavit said
The rabbit died from the influence in opposition to the patrol car.
A Sample of Threatening Conduct
The rabbit’s loss of life was not an remoted show of aggression. Courtroom information reported on by Police1 present Gomez had beforehand threatened the identical deputy, as soon as pointing a Taser at him throughout a separate altercation. Later, on the identical evening because the rabbit killing, Gomez allegedly pointed his gun on the deputy, claiming he was testing his mounted mild.
New Mexico State Police confirmed that Gomez was charged with 4 counts of aggravated assault with a lethal weapon upon a peace officer and one depend of utmost cruelty to animals, a fourth-degree felony.
Picture: YouTube / Albuquerque Journal
One other deputy shot the rabbit to forestall additional struggling.
The Fallout Contained in the Sheriff’s Workplace
Initially, the Grant County Sheriff’s Workplace took little motion regardless of a deputy submitting a report. In accordance with the Albuquerque Journal, little to no inside self-discipline adopted. Solely after state police have been alerted have been legal costs filed.
The case gained momentum when the disturbing video surfaced on social media, drawing widespread condemnation. Tens of 1000’s considered the footage, demanding accountability.
Sheriff Raul Villanueva confirmed to KOAT that 4 deputies concerned within the incident, together with the one who tried to cease Gomez and reported him, have been fired in August 2025. Villanueva described the dismissals as a personnel matter and declined to say whether or not the firings have been instantly tied to the viral video.
Public Outrage and Questions of Accountability
The incident has ignited anger far past Grant County. For animal advocates, the loss of life of the rabbit highlighted a troubling tradition the place cruelty may unfold amongst regulation enforcement officers with out instant penalties.
The Day by day Mail famous that Gomez’s legal professional has downplayed the case, saying, “We don’t suppose he did something fallacious, clearly.”
For a lot of observers, that protection solely deepened considerations about accountability inside the justice system.
A Damaged Belief
What started as an encounter with a fragile wild animal has resulted in shame for 4 deputies and a felony case in opposition to one in every of them. For residents and animal advocates, the picture of a child rabbit’s life taken in such a callous act has change into symbolic of deeper failures.
Because the case proceeds by way of the courts, questions stay: why was one deputy’s early report ignored, and why did it take a viral video to power accountability? For now, one life misplaced has left lasting harm to public belief in these sworn to guard.
