New Mexico mass shooting: Gunshot victims ranging in age from 16 to 36 were treated on the scene or sent to area hospitals.
New Mexico mass shooting: At least three people were killed and 15 others were injured following an altercation at a park in the desert city of Las Cruces, New Mexico, police said. The incident took place around 10 pm (local time) on Friday at Young Park in the city, when an ‘unauthorised car’ show, drawing roughly 200 people, escalated into violence.
Authorities acted swiftly, with police and fire crews reaching the scene to assist gunshot victims aged between 16 and 36. While some received treatment at the location, others were taken to nearby hospitals for further care.
Police found 50-60 shell casings
Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story stated that between 50 and 60 shell casings — all from handguns — were found across a large area of the park, indicating the involvement of multiple shooters and weapons. He said the violence likely stemmed from tensions between two groups with ongoing hostility. Several bystanders were also injured in the crossfire.
Those who died were two 19-year-old men and a 16-year-old boy. Their names and those of the other victims had not yet been released. Local police were being assisted in their investigation by New Mexico State Police, the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Las Cruces Fire Chief Michael Daniels reported that seven individuals were treated at the scene, including two who succumbed to their injuries, while 11 others were transported to nearby hospitals or the University Medical Center of El Paso, the regional trauma facility. By Saturday, seven of the surviving victims were in El Paso, four had been treated and released, and the condition of the remaining four was unknown.
Authorities are actively seeking videos and information from attendees to help identify the suspect or suspects involved in the shooting.
“This horrendous, senseless act is a stark reminder of the blatant disregard people in New Mexico have for the rule of law and order,” Story said, vowing about the perpetrators to “find each and every one of them, and we will. We will hold them accountable to the criminal justice system.”
Mayor Pro Tem Johana Bencomo expresses grief
In a post to Instagram on Saturday, Las Cruces City Councillor and Mayor Pro Tem Johana Bencomo expressed grief at the tragedy.
“Part of me wanted to write that this is something you never really think this is going to happen in your city, but that actually feels deeply untrue,” she wrote. “Honestly now days a tragedy like this feels like a nightmare just waiting to come true at any possible moment, yet also always praying and hoping it never will.”
Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez called upon the community to support the victims, their families and the community in the wake of a “senseless” event.
“We need to stand strong. We need to come together,” he said.
Las Cruces sits on the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, about 70 km north of the US-Mexican border.
(With AP inputs)
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