Veteran’s 911 Call Ignored Leading to Wrongful Death Suit
A wrongful death and civil rights lawsuit has been filed against the City of Las Cruces, two police officers, and the regional dispatch authority following the death of Army veteran Jacob Garcia. The suit alleges that after Garcia, who was suicidal, called 911, the officers failed to make contact, canceled medical units, deactivated their body cameras, and departed. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims dispatch did not re-dispatch units even after receiving a subsequent report of Garcia’s distress. The family asserts that these actions created a “state-created danger,” leading to Garcia’s death from a gunshot wound when he could have been reached by emergency responders.
John Q. Hosedrinker