In a story that sounds like a rejected South Park script, Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy Alejandro Gomez is now facing felony charges for allegedly threatening to tase a fellow officer twice, pointing a gun at him twice, and fatally injuring a bunny.
According to the Affidavit for Arrest Warrant for Gomez [1] filed in February of 2025, Sheriff’s deputy, Marcus Salas was working an overnight shift near Hachita, New Mexico on August 16, 2024, as were fellow Deputy Gomez, Sergeant Brandon Reese and Corporal Cesar Torres. They were traveling in three vehicles on a 2-track dirt road with Salas leading the group. Reese and Torres in a 2-man unit behind him, and Gomez in the rear.
Bunny rescued from traffic.
Deputy Salas saw a baby rabbit in the road and stopped because it was not getting out of the way of the vehicles. He told investigating officers that he’s an outdoor enthusiast who loves animals. He got out of the vehicle and tried to scare the bunny off but it was too afraid to leave. Salas picked up the bunny, wanting to get some photos, with plans to release it to safety. The other officers who got out of their vehicles to see what was going on took photos and videos and were laughing.
According to the affidavit, Gomez asked to hold the bunny, but Salas refused, fearing Gomez would harm the animal. Like, he actually predicted it. So someone knew the alleged bunny killer was potentially unhinged – and still, no one pulled the plug on his badge before Thumper met his tragic end?
Deputy chooses violence after promising not to.
Salas was in the process of setting the bunny down so it could get away when Gomez pointed his Taser at Salas and demanded the bunny. In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, Salas handed it over, asking Gomez not to throw it and to “swear on your kids.” Gomez promised not to hurt the bunny. However, as soon as he had the bunny in his hands, he smiled at the camera and hurled the bunny against a patrol vehicle, fatally injuring it. Deputy Salas said he dispatched the animal as it lay on the ground dying so that it would not suffer.
A video [2] of the incident was recorded by Sergeant Reese where you can hear supervisors laughing. This video was posted to Facebook on Monday, July 7, 2025 according to police1.com [3]. Other social media sites are picking up the story with many disgusted people commenting on the situation.
Arthur Hipp, who works for the Metro Nashville Police, posted on Facebook under the Police1 post on the story, “I’ve been a police officer now for 25 years and I find the whole situation disgusting! If I was in charge of that group, everyone except the officer who initially picked up the rabbit would be fired, and at least one criminally charged (which they are doing). At the end of the article it states that same officer later pointed his service pistol at that officer’s back. Officer or not, if you worked with me you would only do that once and the police chaplain would be making notification to your family.”
A gun in the face.
A few hours later, another incident happened. Deputy Salas drew his duty weapon briefly to check his flashlight, aiming away from others. When he turned back, he found Deputy Gomez pointing his own duty handgun directly at Salas’s face from just three feet away. Salas, startled and fearing he might be shot, jumped back and told him to stop. Gomez claimed he was “testing” his weapon light too – despite not having one. The threatening gesture, witnessed by two supervisors who took no action, left Salas shaken and angry.
Another incident before bunny was killed.
Eleven days before the bunny incident, something else happened. According to the affidavit, on August 5, Deputy Gomez snatched Deputy Salas’s unlocked cell phone and ran through the Grant County Sheriff’s Office with it. When Salas chased after him to retrieve the device, Gomez suddenly stopped, drew his department-issued Taser, and pointed it directly at Salas’s body. He also unholstered his duty weapon afterward and pointed it directly at Deputy Salas. This incident was witnessed by Corporal Cesar Torres.
Charges finally.
Weeks after the incidents happened, Deputy Salas went above his chain of command and reported the incidents to Captain Stephen Gallegos. Deputy Salas made the complaint on or about September 23, 2024, and an internal affairs investigation began. The internal affairs investigation resulted in no or very little action being taken against the deputies/supervisors involved in the incidents” according to the affidavit. Then in January of this year, Salas filed a complaint with the New Mexico State Police.
Gomez, 27, is now charged with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer (third degree felony offenses) and one count of extreme cruelty to animals, a fourth-degree felony. Police1 says that Gomez was placed on paid leave until the case is resolved. The New Mexico State Police continue to investigate
Two supervisors, one video, zero accountability.
Despite multiple incidents involving Gomez, witnessed by supervisors and one recorded on video, the sergeant and corporal have not been charged or placed on leave for failing to intervene, as required by New Mexico law.
Gomez’s attorney, Gary Mitchell, says, “We don’t think he did anything wrong, obviously.”
So WTF is going on in Grant County? When one deputy predicts his colleague might kill a helpless bunny (and turns out to be right) and supervisors witness threats involving Tasers and guns aimed at a fellow officer without batting an eye, you’re not just dealing with a bad apple. You’re staring down rot in the whole barrel.