Editor’s Note: The body camera footage linked in this story is extremely graphic and not censored for blood.
By Joanna Putman
Police1
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The Las Cruces Police Department has released surveillance and body camera footage of an incident that killed one of its officers, the Las Cruces Sun News reported.
Officer Jonah Hernandez responded to a trespassing call on Feb. 11 where he was stabbed to death by Armando Silva, 29, according to the report. Surveillance video shows Silva sitting under a covered structure on the back corner of the property as Hernandez’s cruiser parks near an exit.
Hernandez can be seen getting out of his cruiser and approaching Silva, who jumps up. Silva walks toward Hernandez, pulling out a knife. Hernandez can be seen turning around and trying to run from Silva, before falling to the ground. At the bottom of the footage, Silva’s arm can be seen raising the knife up and bringing it down repeatedly.
Hernandez can then be seen in the video trying to get up before stumbling back to the ground. The surveillance footage shows Silva’s shadow standing before another shadow appears in the frame. Silva’s shadow can be seen falling to the ground, and video shows a witness to the stabbing walking into frame holding a gun.
The witness to the stabbing has since been identified as Issaiah Astorga, 29. Three gunshots can be heard during the confrontation between Astorga and Silva recorded on Hernandez’s body camera footage, which is extremely graphic.
“Stay with me man,” Astorga can be heard saying as he crouches over Hernandez. Blood can be seen and heard spraying onto Astorga’s clothing.
Another officer soon arrived at the scene, and Hernandez was taken to the hospital, where he died from his injuries, according to the report. Silva was dead at the scene, according to the report.
“I’m biased, but I feel like that is the worst video I’ve watched in my life and I’ve seen a lot of bad videos. It has broken a lot of people and a lot of my officers and staff,” Las Cruces Police Department Chief Jeremy Story stated.
To watch the unedited body camera footage from the Las Cruces Police Department, click here.