Death by Cop- 2022
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Presley Eze
Case # :1069
Gender : Male
Age : 36
Race : Black
Date : 08/02/2022
Location : 2655 S Valley Dr
City : Las Cruces
County : Dona Ana
State : New Mexico
Agency : Las Cruces PD
Officer(s) :Brad Lunsford
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police after shoplifting beer
Disposition : No known charges
Open Records Summary :
Las Cruces PD responded to a call about a man allegedly shoplifting a single beer. When police arrived, they allege Presley Eze was not complying with undisclosed commands. Police launched a tactical attack and ultimately shot and killed him. The bodycam was blurred for the critical incident and useless as evidence. One shot was fired, invisible to the only bodycam video provided. A second BWC was not made available from other officers.
Presley Eze had been unarmed and killed by police after allegedly stealing a can of beer after an officer attacked and could not subdue him physically. After the shooting, a second officer arrived and began an investigation and silenced him multiple times while on BWC. The footage is linked below.
Officer Lunsford was charged with voluntary manslaughter in October of 2023 and is awaiting trial at this time.