Docs: 22-year-old man charged after ‘drive-by’ shooting in Las Cruces
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – A 22-year-old man was recently arrested and charged after a “drive-by” shooting that took place on Thursday, Dec. 21 in Las Cruces.
Jesus Mendez-Garcia, 22, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting from a motor vehicle and shooting at dwelling or occupied building.
According to court documents, on Thursday, Dec. 21 officers with the Las Cruces Police were dispatched to a house in the 2300 block of Lester Ave in reference to shots fired.
Officers received information from the victim, Daniel Dominguez Puga, who said that he was outside his residence with his 2-year-old son and his dog when he noticed two vehicles, a blue pickup and a white pickup, driving down the street twice.
According to court documents, Puga noticed that the blue pickup stopped at a stop sign down the street and he became suspicious. He also noticed the white pickup began to drive down the street towards his direction followed by the blue pickup.
Puga then began to walk towards the front door of his residence as the driver of the white pickup, who had the window rolled down, yelled at him in Spanish “Que rollo” which translates to “What’s up” in English.
Puga recognized the driver as Mendez-Garcia, which he has known for approximately 13 years, according to court documents.
Puga then observed Mendez-Garcia point a firearm at his and his son’s direction and fired approximately six gunshots from the moving pickup as Puga and his son fell to the ground to cover.
The white pickup fled the scene followed by the blue pickup, according to court documents.
Among the evidence collected, officers located five gunshots to the exterior of the residence on the front wall, one 9mm spent casing was found on the street directly in front of the residence, surveillance video captured the incident and Puga was able to obtain the license plate to the white pickup.
Additionally, a warrant was requested for Mendez-Garcia, according to court documents.
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