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The New Mexico State Police officer who fired shots at a minivan full of children during a chaotic October traffic stop has been fired, a spokesman with the law enforcement agency said Friday.
Lt. Emmanuel Gutierrez, a State Police spokesman, said he confirmed with State Police Chief Pete Kassetas that Officer Elias Montoya was no longer employed by the department. Montoya's termination was effective at 5 p.m. Friday.
Montoya has 30 days to appeal his firing to the Public Safety Advisory Commission, which is made up of civilians appointed by the governor. Montoya, who had been with the department for about 12 years, doesn't have a listed phone number.
The officer was placed on administrative leave with pay earlier this week following an investigation into the shooting outside the northern New Mexico tourist town of Taos. On Tuesday, he was notified that the agency proposed to fire him, and Kassetas, in consultation with Department of Public Safety Secretary Gorden Eden, made the final decision after a disciplinary hearing Thursday.
Swills
abcnews.go.com...
The New Mexico State Police officer who fired shots at a minivan full of children during a chaotic October traffic stop has been fired, a spokesman with the law enforcement agency said Friday.
Lt. Emmanuel Gutierrez, a State Police spokesman, said he confirmed with State Police Chief Pete Kassetas that Officer Elias Montoya was no longer employed by the department. Montoya's termination was effective at 5 p.m. Friday.
Montoya has 30 days to appeal his firing to the Public Safety Advisory Commission, which is made up of civilians appointed by the governor. Montoya, who had been with the department for about 12 years, doesn't have a listed phone number.
The officer was placed on administrative leave with pay earlier this week following an investigation into the shooting outside the northern New Mexico tourist town of Taos. On Tuesday, he was notified that the agency proposed to fire him, and Kassetas, in consultation with Department of Public Safety Secretary Gorden Eden, made the final decision after a disciplinary hearing Thursday.
Hey look at that, sometimes these out of control police officers are actually held responsible! I applaud the New Mexico police department & Department of Public Safety Secretary Gorden Eden for doing the right thing!
Related ATS Thread
Cop Fires on Van Full of kids (Viral Video)
You are right! I watched the vid many times when it first came out and did not feel that the LEO in this case was wrong. Usually they are but it is no better to punish this guy than it is to let the real scumbags off the hook.
OccamsRazor04
He fired towards the tires, which is a much less riskier method than spike strips for taking out the tires and would possibly stop the car before actual innocent people were killed by this maniacal lady. Police can go way over the line, and should be help accountable for it, and I have no love for many LEO's. In this instance the criminals were in the vans, and this officer should keep his job.