On March 21, 2020, Charles 'Gage' Lorentz, a 25-year-old man from Colorado, was fatally shot by National Park Service Ranger Robert John Mitchell during a traffic stop at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. The incident occurred in the Rattlesnake Springs area of the park, where Lorentz had stopped to meet a friend after working in the oil industry in Texas.
The encounter began when Ranger Mitchell pulled Lorentz over for allegedly speeding on a dirt road and knocking over a
park sign. Body camera footage from Mitchell's Axon camera shows Lorentz standing near a log fence, wearing a light camo jacket, and engaging in a seemingly light-hearted manner with the ranger. Despite Mitchell's commands, Lorentz did not immediately comply, instead making a joke and dancing to music playing from his vehicle. Mitchell later told investigators that he suspected Lorentz was under the influence of something, although a subsequent toxicology report found no drugs or alcohol in Lorentz's system.
The situation escalated when Mitchell ordered Lorentz to turn around and spread his feet. Lorentz refused, leading Mitchell to draw his Taser. Lorentz responded defiantly, telling Mitchell to 'get real with it,' which Mitchell interpreted as a fixation on his gun. Without warning, Mitchell deployed the Taser, and at this moment, the body camera footage abruptly cut out due to an equipment malfunction or a reboot cycle caused by physical impacts during the altercation.
When the video resumed 26 seconds later, it showed Mitchell on the ground, clutching his Sig Sauer. 45, with Lorentz's hand visible next to the gun. The footage then captured Mitchell pivoting and firing a shot into Lorentz's thigh, followed by a second, fatal shot to the chest at close range, possibly while Lorentz was pinned to the ground. Mitchell can be heard saying he 'definitely got him' after the second shot.
The investigation into the shooting was led by the Eddy County Sheriff's Department, with the results turned over to 5th Judicial District Attorney Dianna Luce. Despite the missing footage and the family's concerns about its integrity, Luce declined to press criminal charges against Mitchell, determining that his actions were 'objectively justifiable' given Lorentz's non-compliance and the physical altercation that ensued.
Ranger Robert Mitchell, 53 at the time of the incident, was placed on administrative duty pending the completion of the investigation but was later cleared of any wrongdoing and returned to active duty on September 15, 2020. Three separate investigations, including one by the NPS Officer Involved Shooting Team, concluded that Mitchell's actions were reasonable in the circumstances.
The Lorentz family and their civil rights attorney, Shannon Kennedy, have raised significant concerns about the handling of the case, particularly the missing body camera footage and what they perceive as a lack of transparency and de-escalation techniques by Mitchell. The family plans to sue the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior for violating Gage Lorentz's civil rights.
Gage Lorentz was remembered as a hard-working and dedicated young man who loved his family, hunting, and four-wheeling. His death has left his family and community grappling with the circumstances and seeking answers and justice.
