This story contains discussions of suicide and PTSD experienced by veterans. Help is available at National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. 

On the evening of Dec. 2, 2016, Marine veteran Joshua Dunne was shot and killed by officers from the Las Cruces Police Department.

In this episode, we’re joined by Sun-News public safety reporter Justin Garcia, to look at the life, death and legacy of Joshua Dunne — a 36-year-old Marine veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Dunne also suffered from a traumatic brain injury after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dunne was shot and killed by Las Cruces police officers December 2nd, 2016 following an hours-long standoff at the Sleep Inn on Triviz Drive.

Dunne was a father of two, and was a graduate student studying social work at New Mexico State University at the time of his death.

The hours leading up to the shooting clearly paint a picture of a man in the throes of a mental health crisis. To help explain how that day unfolded, we’ll also be joined by Josh’s widow, Melanie.  

The incident left Dunne's family stunned and heartbroken, and it left the community asking how this could happen. 

The two officers who killed Dunne were long-ago cleared of wrongdoing, yet the City of Las Cruces reached a settlement with Melanie Dunne in January of this year over her wrongful death claim.

I knew Josh, both personally and professionally.

To get a sense of how December 2nd, 2016 unfolded, we’ll start by talking with Melanie.

This podcast was originally published by the Las Cruces Sun-News.