‘Don’t shoot her’: City releases interview with granddaughter of 75-year-old shot and killed by Las Cruces police

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - In newly released body camera video from the city of Las Cruces, the granddaughter of a 75-year-old woman killed by police told investigators that her grandmother was mentally ill and that she had asked an officer not to fire his weapon.

“I was standing close to the officer asking him, ‘Don’t shoot her. She’s mentally ill,'" said Albitar Inoh, granddaughter of 75-year-old Amelia Baca. "Letting him know... she’s not a danger. Letting him know, ‘She’s mentally ill.’”

Inoh said her grandmother had refused to put down the knives, but she didn't suspect she would harm anyone.

“If she would have been aggressive, she would have attacked me," Inoh said. "She didn’t attack me.”

The city of Las Cruces also released an interview with an officer who responded to the call that night. Officer Fierro (whose first name was not released) said family members escaped out the window because they were afraid Baca would hurt them.

“Female said another female was threatening her with a knife and was currently stabbing the floor, threatening to kill the reported party," Officer Fierro said in an interview with investigators.

He recalled the moment that was struck by the deadly rounds.

“I walk up to him and as I’m walking up to him, I hear the two gunshots," Officer Fierro said. "I see a female fall to the floor. And a knife in her hand as she hits the floor.”

The city has yet to release the name of the officer who fired the fatal shots. It appears as though the city has removed all audio that mentioned his or her name.