Las Cruces, NM – A 20 -year -old man and two teenagers were arrested under suspicion of murder in relation to Friday night shooting in a park at Las Cruces, New Mexico, which left three people dead and 15 other wounds, authorities said Sunday.
Tomas Rivas and a 17 -year -old man were arrested Saturday night and a second 17 -year -old man was arrested Sunday morning, according to a statement from the city of Las Cruces. Each could face a murder charge and additional charges were pending, according to the statement.
It was not known on Sunday if the defendants had lawyers. A message was sent to the public defender’s office in Doña Ana County asking if her lawyers represented them.
The shots exploded little around 10 pm on Friday in Young Park, where an altercation exploded after an unauthorized cars show had attracted some 200 people to the park in the city of the desert, police said. Nine victims of male and six female shots who are between 16 and 36 were treated there or taken to hospitals.
Andrew Madrid, 16, and Jason Gómez, 18, died at the scene and Dominick Estrada, 19, died later in a hospital, according to the city statement.
The authorities were looking for videos of the park and advice from those present as the investigation continued on Sunday.
The police and firefighters departments, together with community groups, offered support to the victims and their relatives on Sunday at the Las Cruces Convention Center.
“Crisis advice, spiritual advice and connecting victims with local resources and financial assistance will be provided,” said the city statement. “Anyone affected by this tragedy to attend is encouraged.”
Between 50 and 60 gun guts they dispersed with a wide park in the park, said police chief Jeremy Story, on Saturday, suggesting that there were multiple shooters and multiple weapons.
Fire Chief Michael Daniels said 11 patients were sent to three local hospitals or to the regional trauma center, El Paso University Center. Until Saturday, he said, seven victims were in El Paso, four had been treated and released and the conditions of the other four were not known.
The Local Police was being assisted by the New Mexico State Police, the Mrs. Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and the Federal Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Story recognized on Saturday that illegal cars shows in Young Park are not uncommon and that the police presence has been bigger in the past. The lack of personnel on Friday, he said, meant that “I had no units available most of the night.”
The crosses is on the edge of the Chihuahuan desert along the Rio Grande in the south of New Mexico, about 40 miles (70 km) from the border between the United States and Mexico.
