Las Cruces teen arrested in fatal shooting at house party

LAS CRUCES — Another fatal incident involving young people and firearms has led to the arrest of a 16-year-old boy. The defendant, who was not identified because of his age, has been charged by Las Cruces police with murder and three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Gunfire erupted at a house party on Bugatti Drive on Saturday, injuring three teenagers and killing Lance Chavez, 21.

The injured included a 19-year-old man, an 18-year-old woman and 17-year-old girl, all of whom sustained gunshot wounds but were expected to survive.

Police said the suspected shooter was arrested at 5 p.m. Tuesday on a residential block about two miles from where the shooting had taken place and was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center juvenile facility.

The Las Cruces Police Department responded just before midnight to calls reporting multiple gunshots at the home. They found Chavez, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

In the days since, police put out a public call for mobile phone videos and photos that recorded the shooting, inviting witnesses to submit their images through an online evidence portal. On Tuesday night, police said digital evidence submitted by witnesses led them to the suspect.

It was the latest incident of gun violence involving teenagers and young adults in the city, in a year that included the city’s worst shooting in decades.

In March, a group of teens fired into a crowd in the parking lot of Young Park, killing three peers. The accused shooters range in age from 16 to 21, with the juveniles being tried as adults on murder and conspiracy charges. The defendants are set for trials in early 2026.

A fatal shooting in another city park in September involved 18- and 19-year-olds in what police allege was an armed robbery that went awry and took the life of Julia Clark, 19.

Las Cruces police have lobbied lawmakers for legislative changes to competency proceedings for children and other measures addressing gang activity, juvenile probation and firearm penalties, and have focused on the flow of firearms among minors.

In August, LCPD officers Benjamin Berling and Mark Renteria gave a presentation to a legislative subcommittee visiting Las Cruces and reported an escalation among young residents in publishing social media images with weapons and celebrating risky activities such as shooting in public, along with criminal activity facilitated by cellphones and social apps.