Bodycam: Gunman in Body Armor Fires over 100 Rounds, Wounds N.M. Police Officer, Deputy

A violent shootout erupted when an armed man with explosives, a bulletproof vest and a gas mask fired on authorities responding to a call, wounding a Roswell police officer and a Chaves County sheriff's deputy.
Oct. 22, 2025
2 min read

What to know

  • A Roswell police officer and a Chaves County sheriff's deputy were wounded Aug. 28 in Roswell when a 29-year-old suspect, armed and wearing body armor, opened fire during a domestic disturbance.

  • The gunman fired over 100 rounds, pinning down officers before he was wounded and later surrendered after detonating a flash grenade.

  • The suspect faces multiple charges, including two counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of assault on a peace officer.

More on OFFICER.com

N.M. Police Officer, Deputy Wounded when Suspect Fires over 100 Rounds in Shootout

  • A Roswell police officer was shot in the neck and a Chaves County sheriff's deputy was flown to a Texas hospital after authorities encountered "sustained automatic gunfire" from a suspect wearing a bulletproof vest.

New Mexico State Police released body camera footage that captured the moment when two officers were wounded and came under fire by a gunman wearing body armor during a domestic disturbance in August.

The incident happened shortly after 12:30 a.m. Aug. 28 when Roswell police responded to a report of a 29-year-old man—identified as Dakota Perkins—threatening to kill himself inside a home, the New Mexico State Police stated in a news release at the time. The agency released video footage from the shooting and standoff Monday.

During the call, a woman who was in the house with two children told dispatchers that Perkins had been drinking and was suicidal, according to KQRE-TV. She warned that Perkins, who had locked himself in a bedroom, was armed with dozens of guns and wearing a bulletproof vest and gas mask.

When police reached the scene, Perkins—who had a flash grenade and Tannerite—opened fire. New Mexico State Police and Chaves County sheriff's deputies arrived immediately after as Perkins continued shooting.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, Perkins fired over 100 rounds, and the gunfire was so intense that it had officers pinned down at times. 

Roswell Police Officer Conner Watkins and Chaves County Sheriff's Deputy Lorenzo Salas were wounded by Perkins' gunfire. Shots also struck multiple structures and vehicles.

When Perkins was wounded in the exchange, he began negotiating with Roswell police. He told officers he had already pulled the pin from the flash grenade and needed to detonate it to get rid of it.

Once the flash grenade exploded, negotiators convinced Perkins to drop his weapons, remove his body armor and surrender to authorities. He was taken into custody and treated at a hospital.

Perkins faces multiple charges, including two counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to commit a violent felony upon a peace officer.

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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