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An Alamogordo police officer, Anthony Ferguson was fatally shot by 26-year-old Dominic De La O on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at a traffic stop near East 1st Street. Anthony Ferguson was shot in the face with a shotgun and had to be taken to an El Paso hospital where he passed away on Sunday, July 16, 2023.
Dominic De La O has also previously been jailed on a few charges of violent crimes. Since he had been released from prison, Alamogordo Mayor Susan Payne expressed her concern about the same. She said that Dominic shouldn't have been released from prison or police custody.
“This entire incident occurred because a dangerous man who had been previously accused of breaking the law decided that preserving his freedom was worth more than a life of a person who we tasked of protecting the lives of our law-abiding citizens," the Mayor said.
Authorities also revealed that Anthony chased De La O, who was driving without headlines and crashed his vehicle into a pole. They said that Anthony was out at 3 am protecting them all. They added that he took a shot in the face for all of them. His colleagues and team also described him as “loyal, courageous, and funny.”
Tributes poured in as community learned about the sad demise of Anthony Ferguson
As social media users learned about the tragic death of Anthony Ferguson, tributes from all over the world started pouring in. Friends and family remembered the officer for his lively spirit, while his colleagues and the community remembered him for his dedication to his work.
Police departments from across the country paid tribute to the officer who was shot and killed on Sunday.
At the same time, another former police officer and friend Adam Provencio remembered Anthony and said that he was heartbroken at the news. Provencio added that it wasn't just a fellow police officer who had died but a friend and a brother to him who was killed.
Alamogordo residents Jessica Smith and Rudy Contreras accused the Dominic De La O of killing Donovan Contreras in 2019
During a press conference held to announce the news of Anthony's passing, several residents gathered to hear about the sad and new details about the same. At the time, Jessica Smith and Rudy Contreras, two residents of the town, accused De La O of killing Donovan Contreras in 2019. The residents claimed that the accused was never charged in the case.
Smith spoke about her son being killed by the same man who killed Anthony Ferguson. She added that he should have never been given the chance to do it again.
“My son was murdered on July 12, 2019, by Dominic De La O as well, and nothing was done. He was arrested and let go, and my son's death was swept under the rug as a suicide," she said.
While the authorities claimed that Anthony Ferguson's killer, De La O had many complaints in his name, he had never been formally charged with any crime. With ongoing investigations into the murder, De La O has been charged with an attempt to commit first-degree murder and aggravated battery on a police officer with a deadly weapon.
It is worth mentioning that at the time of writing, it wasn't known whether Anthony Ferguson's killer has been arrested. However, the authorities claimed that he will also be facing charges of criminal trespassing and traffic violations.
