Overview

• Sheriff Raul Villanueva confirmed the dismissals and declined further comment, calling the issue a personal matter.
• Cellphone video shows Deputy Alejandro Gomez pointing a Taser at a colleague before throwing a baby rabbit against a patrol cruiser, killing the animal.
• Gomez had previously been placed on leave and charged in February with four counts of assault on a police officer and one count of extreme cruelty to animals.
• County officials concluded their roughly year-long probe by finding the deputies at fault and removing all four from the department last week.
• Reporting says one of those fired was the deputy who initially reported the incident, and State Police have said a sergeant and a corporal failed to intervene as required by New Mexico statute.