NMSU to hire outside investigator to review Nov. 19 shooting at UNM campus
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- NMSU will hire an external third-party investigator to review the Nov. 19 deadly shooting between one of its players and a UNM student.
“We will be incredibly transparent during this process,” said NMSU Chancellor Dan Arvizu. “We owe that to our community and to everyone associated with our university. The firm selected will be encouraged to review any public documents regarding this case and be fully empowered to speak with any NMSU employees, students or other individuals necessary to ensure we fully understand the facts.”
Arvizu said the review would also examine the university's response in the days following the incident.
A New Mexico State Police report obtained by the KOAT Target 7 Investigative team and shared with ABC-7 details the lengths an investigator had to go through to obtain the gun used in the deadly self-defense shooting at UNM last month.
According to the report, UNM campus video surveillance captured the shooting. It shows Michael Peake walking with a female when three males run up behind them.
According to the report, one of the three men had a baseball bat. Bradon Travis had a firearm.
When Peake was hit with the bat, gunfire was exchanged. Brandon was hit by gunfire and died. Michael was struck by gunfire and taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital.
According to the report, Peake is seen on surveillance video walking up to a yellow Camaro that pulled up to the UNM campus after the incident.
Peake met with three individuals and placed items in the trunk before the Camaro took off.
Those three individuals are identified as Issa Muhammad, Marcelus Avery, and Anthony Roy. All three are on the NMSU basketball team.
The report indicates NMSU Head Men's Basketball Coach Greg Heiar was interviewed at 9:47 a.m. The report indicates Coach Heiar told the investigator he hadn't seen any of the players since learning of the incident and that he didn't know Peake very well.
The investigator spoke with assistant coach Dominique Taylor at 10:03 a.m. According to the report, Taylor said he did not know anyone who drove a yellow Camaro similar to the one seen on surveillance video.
The investigator asked Coach Taylor to inform him if he finds out any information about the Camaro, gun, or other items placed in the Camaro. The report indicates Taylor said he would.
The investigator says he tried to call Coach Heiar around 10:38 a.m., but the call went to voicemail, and he never got a callback.
Another call was placed to Coach Heiar around 11:25 a.m. Once again, no callback.
At 12:27 p.m., the investigator received a call from NMSU AD, Braun Cartwright. At that time, the investigator learned players had left Albuquerque and were headed back to Las Cruces by bus.
That prompted the investigator to drive south on I-25 with lights and sirens activated to locate the NMSU basketball team's bus.
At 12:51, the investigator learnEd the bus was pulled over at the Fort Craig rest stop.
The investigator is then informed that Assistant Coach Dominique Taylor had the firearm back at the hotel in Albuquerque.
At 3:44 p.m., the investigator obtained possession of the gun, which was wrapped in a white towel.
