Three killed, 15 injured in shooting at New Mexico park

A Friday night shooting at Young Park in Las Cruces, N.M., killed three people, including 16-year-old Andrew Madrid, local police said. The 15 people wounded ranged in age from 16-36. A fight broke out during an unsanctioned car show at the park, said Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story. The situation turned violent and two groups of people exchanged gunfire.

Officers arrested four people suspected of carrying out the shooting, Las Cruces Police said Sunday. Three teenage boys and one adult, Tomas Rivas, were incarcerated in the Doña Ana County Detention Center. Each of the suspects was charged with three counts of murder. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Local law enforcement received assistance in their investigations from federal agencies including the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

What’s the status of the wounded victims? Las Cruces Fire Chief Michael Daniels said on Saturday that four patients had been released from the hospital, while seven of them were receiving further treatment in El Paso, Texas. Police Chief Story praised local firefighters for rushing to treat wounded people at the scene before police confirmed the area was secure. He said their quick actions likely saved several lives.

What did New Mexico’s governor say about the shooting? Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said crime in Las Cruces was up 46% compared to last year and blamed the New Mexico legislature for failing to address the issue. She plans to call a special legislative session on public safety initiatives.