The city of Las Cruces announced Monday that it reached a $20 million settlement with the family of Teresa Gomez, who was fatally shot by an officer.

The city of Las Cruces, New Mexico has reached a $20 million settlement with the family of a grandmother fatally shot by a police officer last year.

New Mexico has among the highest rates of killings by police officers in the U.S., and officials are trying to reduce the number of deadly encounters.

The family of a woman shot dead by a former New Mexico police officer has reached a $20 million settlement with the city that employed him, ahead of his murder trial next year.

The City of Las Cruces determined the actions on the morning of Oct. 3, 2023, were “so severe that charges were brought against Hernandez.”