Elijah Hadley, a 17 year old member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, was walking down Highway 70 in Otero County, New Mexico when he was shot 19 times by an Otero County Sheriff Deputy performing a welfare check.

When the New Mexico State Police first released information regarding the event, they claimed Elijah Hadley "presented... a firearm, at the deputy." The deputy responded by firing "at least one shot" at Elijah, killing him.​

Footage was later released that revealed Elijah threw the weapon to the ground before he was shot 4 times by the deputy. The deputy did not secure the "firearm" or administer first aid. Instead, he waited over three minutes before shooting Elijah 15 more times as he lay on the ground. 

The Otero County Sheriff, David Black, has not spoken on the event or fired the deputy involved. It has been almost two months without any leadership displayed from Sheriff Black whatsoever.

As such, we are demanding that Sheriff Black step down by September 10, 2024. If he chooses not to, we will be forced to recall him.

Elijah Hadley's family, friends, tribal members, and fellow citizens deserve better leadership than what Sheriff Black has displayed. If Sheriff Black stays in office, it shows that we, the people, accept that our government is allowed to brutally murder the citizens it is meant to serve with zero repercussions.

Justice for Elijah Hadley will come in many forms. The removal of a Sheriff who protects a child murderer is but one of them.