A 75-year-old grandmother is dead after officers with the Las Cruces Police Department reportedly shot her while she was having a dementia-related episode. This shocking incident took place on Saturday night, but details are finally being clarified surrounding why officers shot and killed Amelia Baca.
According to Las Cruces Sun News, officers were called to the home of Amelia Baca and her family regarding a domestic disturbance. They were told that a woman was threatening a family member at the residence with a knife and threatening to kill her. When they arrived at the scene, 75-year-old Amelia Baca was allegedly brandishing at least one knife. A police officer reportedly discharged his firearm at the elderly woman at some point during the incident. That gunshot killed Amelia Baca.
According to loved ones of the slain grandmother, Baca was suffering from a dementia-related episode when she grabbed a knife and began making homicidal threats. The grandson of Amelia Baca said that his aunt was left with no choice but to call 911 when his grandmother began having a violent mental health episode. His aunt called 911 because the family wanted to get help for the elderly woman who was suffering from dementia. The grandson of Amelia Baca admits that there were knives near the woman when police arrived, but he denies that she was actually holding one at the time of the shooting. His statements seem to imply that Las Cruces Police officers aren’t being completely honest.
“The officer kept telling her, ‘put the (expletive) knife down. Put the (expletive) knife down. When they finally pushed my cousin and my aunt away, the officer shot two shots at my grandma,” said Baca’s grandson.
It’s certainly mindblowing to learn that police officers in New Mexico have killed a senior citizen who was suffering from a mental crisis. Stories like this one illustrate the clear lack of training police officers have regarding mental health issues and mentally vulnerable people. This was a senior citizen — a 75-year-old grandmother — and now she’s dead because a call for help turned into another police-involved shooting.
Chelsea Hoffman is a true crime writer with over a decade of professional writing experience. She is best known for her coverage of missing people including the tragic disappearance of Madeleine McCann as well as the heartbreaking cases of Dylan Redwine, Heather Elvis and many others.
