A New Mexico Sheriff’s Deputy threatened his colleague with a Taser to steal a baby rabbit, then brutally killed it while laughing supervisors filmed the entire sickening display of badge-wearing barbarism.
At a Glance
- Deputy Alejandro Gomez threatened fellow officer Marcus Salas with a Taser to take possession of a baby rabbit.
- Gomez promised not to harm the animal, then immediately threw it against a patrol vehicle while supervisors allegedly laughed and filmed.
- The supervisors present during the August 2024 incident have faced criticism for their lack of intervention.
- Gomez faces criminal charges, including four counts of aggravated assault and one count of extreme animal cruelty, while remaining on paid leave.
- The incident exemplifies a complete breakdown of accountability and leadership within the department.
Badge-Wearing Thugs Run Wild in New Mexico
On August 16, 2024, a simple act of decency exposed the rot festering within the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. When Deputy Marcus Salas attempted to move a baby rabbit to safety, his colleague, Deputy Alejandro Gomez, demanded the animal. As reported in the official criminal complaint, when Salas refused, Gomez threatened him with a Taser—a sworn officer brandishing a weapon against another over a helpless creature. What happened next was a descent into madness, as supervisors, including a sergeant and a corporal, stood by watching. Instead of stopping Gomez, these so-called leaders reportedly pulled out their phones and filmed as he swore he wouldn’t harm the rabbit, only to immediately throw it against a patrol vehicle, killing it.
This is Alejandro Gomez, a sheriff’s deputy in Grant County, New Mexico.
He’s holding a baby rabbit—a few moments after he threatened a colleague with a taser, and a few moments before killing the animal by throwing it against a patrol vehicle. His supervisors stood by and… pic.twitter.com/uTKDkEWbhG
— reason (@reason) July 16, 2025
Paid Vacation Justice for Animal Torture
This is where the story turns from disgusting to infuriating. Deputy Gomez has been charged with four felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon upon a peace officer and one count of extreme cruelty to animals. Yet, this man has been on paid administrative leave since February 2025, collecting taxpayer checks while awaiting his court date. The supervisors who enabled and filmed this brutality have reportedly received little more than wrist slaps. A Grant County official claims they are “taking every possible step to ensure accountability,” but paid leave and minor reprimands sound more like rewards for bad behavior than justice.
A Culture of Corruption and Failed Leadership
Deputy Marcus Salas represents what law enforcement should be—someone willing to protect the vulnerable. Instead of being celebrated, he was allegedly threatened and forced to witness a sickening act of cruelty. Meanwhile, Gomez’s attorney, Gary Mitchell, has had the audacity to claim his client “did nothing wrong” and that this should have remained an internal affair. This case perfectly captures the institutional breakdown that occurs when leadership fails at every level. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office faces a crisis of public trust that extends far beyond one sadistic deputy—it’s about a culture that allowed this to happen and continues to enable it through a weak and pathetic response.
