Las Cruces man charged in drive-by shooting at occupied home near Picacho Avenue
A Las Cruces man faces felony charges after police say he fired shots at an occupied home. A handgun and shell casings were recovered.
Police say shots were fired into residence with five people inside; handgun and shell casings recovered after traffic stop
Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News
LAS CRUCES - A Las Cruces man is facing multiple felony charges after police say he fired shots at an occupied home early Saturday morning.
Carlos Hernandez, 19, is accused of shooting at a residence in the 900 block of 8th Street around 1:25 a.m. March 28, according to a criminal complaint filed in Doña Ana County Magistrate Court. Court documents allege he acted with a 16-year-old relative who was also in the car at the time of the shooting.
Officers with the Las Cruces Police Department were in the area of Valley Drive and Picacho Avenue when they heard several gunshots coming from the north. As they moved toward the neighborhood, they observed a white sedan leaving the area and conducted a high-risk traffic stop near Sixth Street and Picacho Avenue.
Police identified the occupants as Hernandez and the minor. Both were detained without incident.
Investigators later determined that a home on 8th Street had been struck by gunfire. Five people were inside the residence at the time, according to court documents. No injuries were reported.
Officers located multiple spent shell casings in the roadway in front of the home. Additional evidence was recovered from the vehicle, including a Springfield XD 9mm handgun and more shell casings consistent with those found at the scene, court records state.
Surveillance video obtained by investigators showed a vehicle matching the white sedan entering the neighborhood shortly before the shooting, turning into a park area, reversing direction and then heading back toward the residence. Gunshots were heard shortly afterward, according to the statement of probable cause.
Hernandez is charged with shooting at a dwelling or occupied building (no great bodily harm), shooting at or from a motor vehicle (no great bodily harm), conspiracy to commit both offenses, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
A motive for the shooting was not detailed in court documents.
Court records show Hernandez was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center following his arrest and is being held without bond pending an initial appearance in Magistrate Court.
Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.
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