NW New Mexico News

From December 30, 2022 post.

Today the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office released body camera video of the deputy involved shooting that occurred on December 14, 2022. The video can be found on the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page where it details events of the incident.

The incident occurred when deputies attempted to serve Raymond Monroe Stallings III with a court order at approximately 12:20pm. This included a no contact order with the other residents and an eviction from his place of residence, which was an external building on the property.

Deputies immediately began rendering medical aid to Stallings while waiting for medics to arrive on scene. Stallings was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center where he received treatment and was eventually released and booked into the detention center for Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon upon a peace officer.

Sheriff Shane Ferrari issued the following statement, “Law enforcement officers are often placed in dangerous situations and must make split second decisions. Over the last three years these situations have occurred more often than in any time in the history of our Sheriff’s Office.” “Stallings’ decision to exit the shed armed with a sword, knowing law enforcement officers were simply serving him with paperwork was deadly, not only for our deputies but for him. Our deputy felt his life was in danger causing him to fire his weapon. These are not easy decisions to make nor live with. Law enforcement officers’ training and professionalism is shown as they change their decision making from stopping a threat, to care and compassion. This is what good law enforcement officers do.”

This ongoing criminal investigation is conducted by the San Juan County Regional Officer Involved Shooting Task Force which will be reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office. The incident is also subject to an internal investigation for compliance with SJCSO policy standards. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Farmington Police Department, the primary investigating agency, at 505-599-1068.

Original source can be found here.