Arrests in shooting that killed 3 and hurt 15 at a park in Las Cruces, New Mexico

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A 20-year-old man and three teens have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with Friday night's shooting at a park in Las Cruces, New Mexico, that left three people dead and 15 others hurt, authorities said Sunday.

Tomas Rivas and a 17-year-old male were taken into custody Saturday and a second 17-year-old male and a 15-year-old male were arrested Sunday, according to a statement from the city of Las Cruces. Each could face a murder charge and additional charges were pending, the statement said.

It wasn't known Sunday if the defendants had attorneys. A message was sent to the public defender's office in Doña Ana County inquiring whether its attorneys were representing them.

Gunfire erupted shortly around 10 p.m. Friday at Young Park, where an altercation broke out after an unauthorized car show had drawn about 200 people to the park in the desert city, police said. Nine male and six female gunshot victims ranging in age from 16 to 36 were treated there or taken to hospitals.

Andrew Madrid, 16, and Jason Gomez, 18, died at the scene and Dominick Estrada, 19, died later at a hospital, according to the city statement.

Authorities were seeking video from the park and tips from those present as the investigation continued Sunday.

Officials said the police and fire departments, along with community groups, would provide support for victims and their family members from Sunday through Tuesday at the Las Cruces Convention Center.

“Crisis counseling, spiritual counseling and connecting victims with local resources and financial assistance will be provided,” the city statement said. “Anybody impacted by this tragedy is encouraged to attend.”

Between 50 and 60 handgun casings were scattered across a wide swath of the park, Police Chief Jeremy Story said Saturday, suggesting there were multiple shooters and multiple weapons.

Fire Chief Michael Daniels said 11 patients were sent to three local hospitals or the regional trauma center, University Medical Center of El Paso. As of 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.

Local police were being assisted by New Mexico State Police, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Story acknowledged that illegal car shows at Young Park are not uncommon and that the police presence has been larger in the past. Understaffing on Friday, he said, meant he had “no units available for most of the night.”

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, who represents the district where the shooting occurred, said he hopes local authorities can work together to support the car community and improve public security in the park.

“Because clearly, what we saw at Young Park was a chaotic event, a lawless event, where folks were not only in danger from firearms, but people were in danger from being run over from the cars that were spinning out in the parking lot,” Vasquez said during a news conference Sunday.

Las Cruces sits on the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, about 40 miles (70 kilometers) from the U.S.-Mexico border.

Family and friends mourn shooting victims during a vigil Young Park in Las Cruces, N.M., on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Family members of victim Jason Gomez mourn during a vigil at Young Park in Las Cruces, N.M., on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Family members of victim Jason Gomez mourn during a vigil at Young Park in Las Cruces, N.M., on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Crime scene technicians look over the Young Park parking lot after a mass shooting overnight, Saturday, March 22, 2025 in Las Cruces, N.M. (Justin Garcia/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez opens a news conference on Saturday, March 22, 2025, by calling for the community to come together after a deadly mass shooting at Young Park in Las Cruces, N.M. (Justin Garcia/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Las Cruces police investigate Friday night's fatal shooting that occurred at Young Park in Las Cruces, N.M., on Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremey Story speaks at a news conference on March 22, 2025 a day after a mass shooting at Young Park in Las Cruces, N.M. (Justin Garcia/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Evidence markers are shown in the parking lot at Young Park after Friday night's fatal shooting in Las Cruces, N.M., on Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Rosana Colorbio, a resident at the Woodcrest Apartments, talks with the Journal in Las Cruces, N.M., on Saturday, March 22, 2025, as the apartments are located directly across the street from Young Park after Friday night's fatal shooting. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Crime scene tape blocks off Young Park after Friday night's fatal shooting in Las Cruces, N.M., on Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Crime scene technicians investigate the parking lot at Young Park after Friday night's fatal shooting in Las Cruces, N.M., on Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Brad Marchand capped his Florida debut by setting up Sam Bennett’s winner with 41.1 seconds left in overtime, and the Panthers defeated the Utah Hockey Club 2-1 on Friday night.

Bennett had both goals for Florida, including one in the second with Mackie Samoskevich and Aleksander Barkov assisting. Utah tied it early in the third on Sean Durzi’s third of the year.

The win pushed Florida back into first in the Atlantic Division at 44-25-3 with 91 points, one more than Toronto and two more than Tampa Bay. All three of those teams have 10 games remaining, and Florida faces those clubs three times — two with Toronto, one with the Lightning — down the stretch.

HURRICANES 4, CANADIENS 1

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho and Taylor Hall scored 2:24 apart in the second period, and Carolina beat the slumping Montreal.

Jackson Blake had a goal and two assists, Andrei Svechnikov also scored, and Seth Jarvis had two assists for Carolina in its 10th win in 12 games. Frederik Andersen stopped 14 shots.

Josh Anderson scored for Montreal, which has lost five straight (0-3-2). Sam Montembeault had 21 saves.

BLUE JACKETS 7, CANUCKS 6, SO

COLUMBUS (AP) — Boone Jenner had two goals, Kent Johnson had the lone score of the shootout and Columbus rallied from a pair of multi-goal deficits to beat Vancouver and move into a tie for the final wild card in the Eastern Conference.

The Blue Jackets trailed 3-0 less than 14 minutes into the game, but evened it midway through the second period. Vancouver scored the next two to go up 5-3 before Columbus rallied again.

Jenner, who also had an assist, has scored in three straight games. The Blue Jackets are tied with Montreal for the second wild card with 75 points.

It is the first time since 2016 Columbus has trailed 3-0 after the first period and come back to win.

Columbus’ Dante Fabbro had a goal and two assists while Olivier, Denton Mateychuk and Kirill Marchenko each had a goal and an assist. Elvis Merzlikins made 31 saves.

JETS 4, DEVILS 0

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves for his NHL-best seventh shutout of the season and fast-starting Winnipeg regained the league points lead, beating New Jersey for their 50th victory.

Alex Iafallo scored twice, Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist and David Gustafsson also scored. At 59-19-4, Winnipeg moved a point ahead of Eastern Conference-leading Washington.

Iafallo opened the scoring 58 seconds in, and Gustafsson made it 2-0 at 1:52. Iafallo added a power-play goal in the second, and Scheifele had his 36th of the season in the period.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, BLACKHAWKS 3

CHICAGO (AP) — Pavel Dorofeyev scored a power-play goal with 3:10 left to snap a tie, and Vegas rallied for their fifth straight win, over Chicago.

Victor Olofsson scored twice for the Golden Knights, who overcame the first career hat trick by Chicago’s Ryan Donato.

Mark Stone had a goal and an assist, Brett Howden scored an empty-netter and William Karlsson added three assists for Vegas. Adin Hill made 18 saves.

DUCKS 5, RANGERS 4, OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mason McTavish scored 59 seconds into overtime, and Anaheim overcame a two-goal deficit in the final six minutes of regulation for a victory over New York.

After Olen Zellweger tied it with 1:45 left, McTavish scored his 20th goal on Jackson LaCombe’s pass to finish a stirring comeback by the Ducks, who are all but certain to miss the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.

Leo Carlsson had a goal and three assists in the former No. 2 overall pick’s first career four-point game for Anaheim. Cutter Gauthier scored the Ducks’ first goal in the third, and Alex Killorn got an early short-handed goal. Lukas Dostal made 27 saves.

J.T. Miller, Alexis Lafrenière and Adam Fox had a goal and an assist apiece for New York, which has lost five of six.

Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defend against a shot by Utah Hockey Club center Logan Cooley (92) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)