Farmington Police encountered a wild standoff recently that included a barricaded suspect doused in gasoline, who ultimately hurled a Molotov cocktail toward officers. The incident took place Jan. 20 in New Mexico, with officers finally opening fire and putting down the dangerous suspect.
Suspect Hurls Molotov Cocktail at Farmington Police
The incident began when police responded to a call of a neighbor armed and threatening violence. Neighbors alleged a man broke into their apartment, punching a woman in the face. When the man in the apartment attempted to intervene, they further alleged the suspect pulled out a handgun and threatened to kill them, reported the Farmington Daily Times. The man reportedly pulled a knife, prompting the suspect to leave. But not before he allegedly punched the woman a second time when she stepped outside the apartment.
Police arrived and found 46-year-old Humberto Vasquez, who barricaded himself inside his apartment. Footage shows the suspect breaking out windows from inside. Shrieks and screams call out from inside the building. Vasquez tosses a gun out the window, along with a magazine. Inexplicably, he then pours gasoline all over himself. All the while, Vasquez repeatedly dares officers to shoot him.
Finally, the standoff took an even more dangerous turn when the suspect heaved a Molotov cocktail toward officers. And that became the final line to be crossed. Officers opened fire, putting the suspect down.
Officials rendered aid and transported Vasquez to a local hospital. Police say he remains stable and continues to recover. But Vasquez now faces 11 charges, including nine felony charges, including five counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, according to the Farmington Daily Times.
The footage shows police use everything at their disposal to diffuse the situation. They spend a lot of time attempting to talk Vasquez down. Further, the suspect, reportedly suffering from a mental state, refuses to comply. And police ultimately had little choice but to stop the threat.
