Las Cruces police make third arrest in Young Park mass shooting

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• Las Cruces police arrested a third suspect, a 17-year-old boy, in connection to the Young Park shooting.
• All three suspects, including another 17-year-old and 20-year-old Tomas Rivas, are charged with three counts of murder.
• Three victims, aged 16 to 19, died from the shooting, while 15 others were injured.
• The investigation remains ongoing with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies.

Las Cruces police arrested a third suspect in connection to a Friday night mass shooting at Young Park that left three teens dead and injured 15 other people.

The third arrest is a 17-year-old boy, according to the City of Las Cruces. He joins another 17-year-old boy and 20-year-old Tomas Rivas, who police arrested on Saturday. All three are accused of three open counts of murder. Additional charges against all three are pending.

Rivas was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center early Sunday morning. He is initially being held without bond. The 17-year-old suspects are incarcerated in the juvenile section of the detention facility. Police are not naming them because they are minors.

Police identified the victims who died in Friday’s shooting as Andrew Madrid, 16; Jason Gomez, 18; and Dominick Estrada, 19. Madrid and Gomez died at the scene. Estrada was taken to MountainView Regional Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The 15 victims injured in Friday’s shooting range in ages from 16 to 36. Of the 15 injured, nine are male and six are female, according to the city. The current medical conditions of the surviving victims are not available.

Gunfire erupted during an “unsanctioned car show” after an altercation between two groups of people escalated. The incident started shortly after 10 p.m. on Friday, March 21. Numerous young people were in attendance.

Investigators found bullet casings mostly in the parking lot at the park, but they also found some throughout the park and toward the street, police said.

Law enforcement partners are continuing their investigation and are actively following leads. The Las Cruces Police Department is receiving assistance from the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Mexico State Police, the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Young Park and surrounding roads were reopened early Sunday morning.