Crime
18-year-old Josiah Perrault killed by Las Cruces police in May 8 shooting
The Las Cruces Police Department has identified the individual fatally shot by an officer on the morning of May 8, 2025, as 18-year-old Josiah Perrault.
The shooting occurred around 6:30 a.m. in the 900 block of Walnut Street, though authorities have released limited details about the circumstances leading up to the incident.
According to an official statement from the City of Las Cruces, a second male individual believed to be involved in the incident was also injured and transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Officer-Involved Incident Task Force, which includes investigators from the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, and New Mexico State University Police, is actively investigating the case.
The task force is responsible for gathering evidence and collecting witness statements, which will then be forwarded to the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office for review.
To allow time for the completion of witness interviews and accommodate Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story and other department officials attending National Police Week in Washington, D.C., a press conference originally anticipated sooner has been rescheduled. City officials announced that the briefing will now take place at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, May 20, in the City Hall Council Chambers, located at 700 N. Main Street.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Crime
Victims Identified in Deadly Robeson County Mass Shooting
Two Dead, 13 Injured in Mass Shooting at Large Party in Robeson County, North Carolina
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. — A late-night party in eastern North Carolina turned deadly early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted, leaving two people dead and 13 others injured, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins confirmed that deputies were called to the scene on Dixon Drive, just outside the town of Maxton, at approximately 3:00 a.m. following reports of a shooting at a large outdoor gathering attended by more than 150 people.
When deputies arrived, chaos had already unfolded — witnesses said over 150 individuals fled the area before law enforcement could secure the scene.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as Jessie Locklear and his son Nehemiah Locklear.
Several other victims sustained critical injuries and were transported to area hospitals for emergency treatment.
Sheriff Wilkins stated that, based on preliminary findings, the shooting appears to have been an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies, continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the violence.
Detectives are working to determine the motive and identify all parties involved.
Authorities are urging anyone with information—or anyone who attended the gathering and witnessed the incident—to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Investigators at 910-671-3100.
“We know there were many people present when this occurred,” Sheriff Wilkins said. “If you saw something or know something, we need you to come forward to help bring justice to the victims and their families.”