A Farmington neighborhood remains shaken after police showed up at the wrong house and shot the homeowner to death.
“It boggles my mind how something like that occurred when there were more than one person involved,” Amberly Aranda, a neighbor in the area told KRQE. “It wasn’t just one person’s mistake, unfortunately. It’s a huge tragedy. My heart goes out to the Dotson family. This hit just a little too close to home.”
Trying to make sense of the fatal shooting has been difficult. According to KRQE, state police said Farmington Police received a domestic violence call around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night. The correct address reported to police was 5308 Valley View Avenue, but officers knocked on the door across the street, 5305 Valley View Avenue.
State Police said Farmington police officers announced who they were and backed away from the door. Police said homeowner Robert Dotson, 52, opened the door holding a gun. At least one officer shot and killed him, according to KRQE.
“It shook the whole neighborhood,” Aranda said. “Our son woke us up. Our whole house was lit up with lights and, of course, he was startled.”
Dotson’s wife then came into the doorway, police said, and shot toward officers, who fired back. Once she realized it was the police at the door, she put the gun down.
“It could’ve been any of us,” Aranda said. “I’m not to say, that you know, we would’ve been doing the exact same thing trying to protect our family.”
Farmington Police confirmed the officers involved are on paid leave as State Police investigate exactly what happened and what went wrong. Police vowed to release the body camera footage from the shooting in a few days.
Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe released a video statement calling it a dark day for the entire community. “I extend nothing but my deepest condolences to the Dotson family,” Hebbe said. “There’s nothing I can say that will make this better. It’s a terrible event, and I’m heartbroken over it.”
Words of condolences may not be good enough. “It goes on further than just an innocent person dying from it,” Aranda said. “That family is now traumatized and going to be dealing with something for the rest of their lives.”