3 dead, more than a dozen injured in mass shooting at New Mexico park

Three people were killed and 15 more were injured in a mass shooting at a New Mexico park on Friday night, officials said.

The shooting happened at about 10 p.m. at Young Park, police in Las Cruces, in the southern part of the state, said on Saturday. The deceased victims were two men, 19 and 18, and a 16-year-old boy. The injured ranged in age from 16 to 36 years old.

The shooting began as an altercation between two groups of people at an "unsanctioned car show" that escalated into gunfire between the groups, Police Chief Jeremy Story said at a news conference. Bullet casings were found mostly in the parking lot at the park, but some were found throughout the park and toward the street, police said.

Seven of the injured were sent from area hospitals to El Paso for further treatment and four have been released after being treated, Fire Chief Michael Daniels said.

There were no suspects in custody yet, but police are "actively following multiple leads," police said in a statement. Police urged any potential witnesses to submit video footage of the shooting or of people with guns. Casings found at the scene indicate the shots fired came from multiple handguns, Story said.

"This horrendous, senseless act is a stark reminder of the blatant disregard people in New Mexico have for the rule of law and order. It’s also a reminder of the utter lack of fear and accountability in New Mexico," Story said.

'Senseless mass shooting'

"This was a heinous act of violence that will leave our city mourning," Johana Bencomo, Las Cruces mayor pro tem and city councilor for District 4, said in a social media post.

The area around the park was closed early Saturday as local, state and federal law enforcement agencies investigated.

"My heart goes out to the Las Cruces community & everyone who lost someone or has a loved one in the hospital because of this senseless mass shooting," said Deb Haaland, former secretary of the interior and candidate for New Mexico governor.

Story said the unsanctioned car shows at Young Park have been an issue for law enforcement in the community in an area plagued by violent crime. He said there were about 200 people present at Young Park on Friday night.

"What tends to occur is a lot of illegal behavior with the vehicles," he said, adding that it's common for people to have firearms at the events.

The groups involved in the shooting had "ill will" toward each other that existed before the incident Friday, Story said.

Witnesses describe chaotic scene

Video posted on social media showed people scrambling for safety amid the sound of gunfire. Another video showed a woman wailing in agony over one of the victims.

Witnesses told the New York Times that people were at the park for a monthly gathering of car enthusiasts where drivers showed off their modified sports cars. When the shooting broke out, witnesses told the Times the bullets seemed to fly everywhere.

“They just started shooting and they just started running around everybody,” 20-year-old Angel Legaspy told the outlet.