Las Cruces Police Officer Jonah Hernandez was stabbed to death during a trespassing response Feb. 11.Screengrab City of Las Cruces, New Mexico Video
The Las Cruces (New Mexico) Police Department released on Friday surveillance footage and video from a body camera worn by Officer Jonah Hernandez that captured the knife attack that killed Hernandez on Feb. 11.
Officer Hernandez responded to a trespassing call where he was stabbed to death by 29-year-old Armando Silva.
Silva was shot and killed by an armed civilian at the scene.
LCPD Chief Jeremy Story had previously said that Silva was homeless at the time of the incident and had a history of mental illness and criminal convictions, the Las Cruces Sun reports.
Story presented the video before outlining steps he believes Las Cruces and New Mexico need to take in order to make Las Cruces a safer community.
"I said previously that I will not let Jonah's death be in vain and I am committed to that statement," Story said. "I will not stop until we see the change that makes Las Cruces and New Mexico safer."
Story hopes to hire the 18 sworn officers that the City Council approved in 2023, which would increase the number of LCPD officers from 202 to 220. He said there are 195 officers employed and 25 vacancies to fill as of March 1.
