A New Mexico police officer has landed in hot water after footage surfaced of him laughing while a colleague threw a baby bunny against his patrol car. The officer, Deputy Alejandro Gomez, was arrested for animal abuse and is currently on paid leave. His legal representation insists he hasn’t done anything wrong.
The incident, recorded on August 16, 2024, shows Gomez confronting another officer over a small rabbit found on a dirt road close to the Mexican border, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
Initially, the officer who found the rabbit was concerned Gomez would harm it and only relinquished the animal after Gomez threatened him with a Taser. A supervisor was also present during this encounter.
In the footage, Gomez, 27, solemnly declares he would neither throw nor harm the rabbit. However, shortly afterward, he smiles and hurls the animal at the police car with surprising force.
The other deputy later reported that after being thrown, the bunny was in distress, requiring him to euthanize it to alleviate its suffering.
According to reports, Gomez faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and extreme animal cruelty while on duty. He will remain on paid leave until the legal proceedings conclude, but the supervisor involved has not faced any repercussions.
“I don’t believe he did anything wrong,” stated Gomez’s attorney, Gary Mitchell. He described the situation as an internal matter rather than a criminal issue and is waiting to review the evidence.
The Journal further notes that an internal investigation by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office has found either substantial or no grounds for action against other involved parties.
Interestingly, just days before the bunny incident, Gomez reportedly pointed his Taser at the same officer following a dispute about his cell phone. After the bunny’s demise, he was reportedly still in the vicinity of that officer.
When questioned about the Taser incident, he told colleagues he was merely testing the light on his device.
