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At least three people were killed and 15 others injured in a shooting in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Friday night, police said.
Two 19-year-old men and a 16-year-old boy were killed, the Las Cruces Police Department said in a news release on Saturday. Those wounded in the shooting range from 16 to 36 years old.
The shooting occurred at around 10 p.m. in the parking lot of Young Park, police said. Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story said at a news conference Saturday that the shooting resulted from a fight between two groups at an unsanctioned car show that “escalated to gunfire.”
“We know that there is some type of of ill will between these groups prior to last night, so they had some issues before and it escalated last night,” he said.
Several people were caught in the crossfire, according to the police chief. No arrests have been made, but police said they are pursuing several leads. Authorities are asking witnesses to come forward with any information and to submit any videos or photos of the shooting.
“This is a huge crime scene with a lot of moving parts,” Story said.
Seven of the injured were taken from local hospitals to El Paso for further treatment, Las Cruces Fire Chief Michael Daniels told reporters. Four others have been treated and released. Authorities said they were awaiting a status update on the rest of the injured patients.
More than one firearm was used in the shooting, Story said, adding that they had found dozens of handgun-caliber casings in the parking lot and throughout the park.
Las Cruces city council member and Mayor Pro Tem Johana Bencomo called the shooting “a heinous act of violence” in a post on Instagram on Saturday morning. “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,” Bencomo wrote. “Honestly now days a tragedy like this feels like a nightmare just waiting to come true at any possible moment.”