The Farmington Police Department has released their investigation into a June 29 deputy-involved shooting, and the suspect, who was shot, has been charged with two felonies and three misdemeanors.
Quentin Anthony, 35, was wanted on three felony warrants out of Albuquerque when the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office was called to an incident involving him at 8:34 p.m. June 29 on County Road 3323.
The incident that ensued led to Anthony being charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, a third-degree felony; tampering with evidence, a fourth-degree felony; two misdemeanor counts of assault on a peace officer; one misdemeanor count of resisting an officer; one misdemeanor count of possession of a drug paraphernalia; and a petty misdemeanor count of concealing identity.
Anthony reportedly arrived in the area of County Road 3323 driving a 2012 Silver Dodge Ram 1500, which was stolen from Albuquerque, according to the affidavit for arrest warrant.
The sheriff’s office received calls of Anthony parking the pickup, getting out of it and “acting crazy,” and allegedly “carrying a handgun,” the affidavit said.
However, the Farmington Police investigation showed that Anthony was carrying “a dark blue and black handheld drill,” which he “swung” in the direction of deputies, the report stated.
San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari identified Deputy Joseph Vigil as the one who reportedly fired at least three shots, striking Anthony in the thumb.
Vigil along with Sheriff’s Sgt. Wacey Cotant “believed” Anthony had “a handgun in his left hand,” not a drill, according to the report.
Anthony later told investigators that he was carrying the “drill equipped with a flashlight because it was dark,” and reportedly admitted that he turned “toward the officer with the illuminated drill after hearing someone tell him to stop,” the affidavit said.
Anthony also reportedly admitted to hearing the deputy say, “drop the gun,” but added that “he yelled back, ‘it’s not a gun’ before he was shot at,” the affidavit said.
Anthony also told investigators, “The injury to his thumb was caused by him falling on the drill during the incident,” the affidavit said.
However, during the incident Anthony yelled at deputies saying that they almost “shot his (expletive) thumb off,” according to a video of the incident released by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.
Before being arrested, Anthony was “noncompliant” and not listening to orders from Cotant and Vigil. Instead, he drank from a can of Pepsi, according to the affidavit for arrest warrant.
When deputies approached Anthony, they located a small silver knife near his hand, a small black drill with a light on it and “multiple uncapped syringes in his pockets.” One of the syringes “punctured” a deputy’s hand, the affidavit said.
Anthony was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center for treatment. While there, he reportedly said he would rather lose his thumb than provide law enforcement with his identity, the affidavit said.
Because of “staffing” at San Juan Regional, Anthony had to be flown to UNM Hospital in Albuquerque for treatment, the affidavit said.
The deputy-involved shooting investigation remains open and will be forwarded to the San Juan County District Attorney’s Office for further review, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Decker.