El Paso Lands on TMZ Again, and Not for the Right Reasons

El Paso made national headlines this week, but not for anything worth bragging about. Instead, we landed on TMZ after videos surfaced showing El Paso police officers punching, kicking, and tasing a man on Mesa Street Saturday night. It’s the kind of footage that travels fast online, and unfortunately, it paints the city in a light we’d rather avoid.

The videos show officers striking 25-year-old Nima Dhendup as he’s on the ground. The incident unfolded outside Domain, a bar on Mesa, after police responded to reports of an assault in progress. According to officers, Dhendup had assaulted a security guard who was trying to remove a drunk patron. By the time officers arrived, they say a crowd of 30 to 40 people was yelling as the guard tried to detain him.

Police also arrested another man, 25-year-old Menda Wangchuk Dorji, for interfering and ignoring commands. His mugshot shows blood on his face, and he was later identified by the bar owner as the man in the video receiving kicks to the head.

The footage has already drawn criticism. Dr. Egbert Zavala, Chair of UTEP’s Department of Criminal Justice, called the actions troubling. After reviewing the videos, he noted that the individual did not appear to be resisting and questioned whether the force used was excessive. Kicks to the face, Zavala said, “could be considered excessive force,” though he acknowledged the officers’ attempts to manage the crowd were more understandable.

The El Paso Police Department has promised a full review, saying, “Any time force is used, it is documented and carefully reviewed. This is our standard procedure, and it is already underway for this incident. We value the trust of this community and appreciate the community’s patience.”

For residents, though, this is another moment of national attention that doesn’t reflect the best of El Paso. Instead of highlighting our culture, food, or people, the city is in the spotlight for violence and police use of force. And while the investigation is ongoing, one thing is already clear: this is not the kind of headline El Pasoans want to see.