Crime
Third Suspect Arrested in Connection to Las Cruces Mass Shooting
Las Cruces, NM – Authorities have arrested three suspects in connection with the deadly mass shooting that occurred at Young Park on Friday night, March 21, 2025.
Las Cruces police confirmed the arrests of Tomas Rivas-Hidalgo, 20; Nathan Giovani Rivas, 17; and 17-year-old Gustavo Dominguez.
All three suspects are facing three open counts of murder, with additional charges anticipated as the investigation continues.
Tomas Rivas-Hidalgo has been booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond.
Nathan Giovani Rivas and Gustavo Dominguez, as a juvenile, has been remanded to a juvenile detention facility.
Officials have identified the three individuals who lost their lives in the shooting:
- Andrew Madrid, 16
- Jason Gomez, 18
- Dominick Estrada, 19
Madrid and Gomez were pronounced dead at the scene, while Estrada was transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Additionally, 15 other victims, ranging in age from 16 to 36, sustained injuries during the attack.
Of those injured, nine are male and six are female. To protect their privacy, authorities have not released their names.
Authorities have confirmed that Gabriel Rickman is not connected to the mass shooting. After being interviewed by investigators, he was cleared of any involvement.
Officials also addressed rumors stemming from social media, including an image of a teenager holding an AR-style rifle.
A ballistic examination determined that 50 to 60 shell casings recovered from the scene were all from handguns, with no evidence linking the rifle in the image to the shooting.
Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story held a news conference on Saturday morning, where he reiterated that all shell casings collected were from handguns.
He also confirmed that the individual seen in the social media post holding a rifle had been interviewed by police and is not a suspect at this time.
The Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD) is continuing its investigation in coordination with the FBI, ATF, New Mexico State Police, the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The shooting occurred shortly after 10 p.m. on Friday, March 21, 2025, in the parking lot of Young Park at 850 S. Walnut St.
Authorities responded to reports of gunfire and multiple victims. Several of the injured were transported to local hospitals, with seven later transferred to medical facilities in El Paso, Texas.
The conditions of the surviving victims have not been released at this time.
As part of the ongoing investigation, Young Park remains closed, and nearby roads continue to be restricted to through traffic as law enforcement officials process the crime scene.
Authorities are urging anyone with relevant information, photos, or videos from the incident to come forward to assist in the investigation.
BARTOW, FL — Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred at 120 Polk Street East in Bartow.
The incident resulted in three individuals sustaining gunshot wounds, including a Bartow Police Department (BPD) officer, a public safety aide (PSA) officer, and the suspect involved.
Emergency medical services were immediately requested at the scene to provide critical aid to all three gunshot victims.
The conditions of the injured individuals have not yet been released.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
Law enforcement officials have secured the area as forensic teams and investigators begin processing the scene.
Additional information, including the identities of those involved and any potential charges, is expected to be released as the investigation progresses.
Authorities are asking the public to avoid the area and allow emergency crews to continue their response efforts without obstruction.