Three dead, 15 injured in New Mexico mass shooting: FBI step in.
Chief Story refused to make the tragedy a political talking point, but he emphasised the need for the “rule of law”.
Police patrol car used by the FBI parked on a US street.
Credit: Shutterstock, Ceri Breeze
Gun laws in New Mexico allow residents to openly carry firearms in public without a permit, though concealed carry requires a licence. Police have just revealed that several firearms were present on the night of the shooting- some used in the shooting, others carried by attendees who were not directly involved. The FBI and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have joined the investigation. While the police spokesman refused to make the tragedy a political talking point, he stressed that the violence highlights the need for the “rule of law”.
A late-night car meet turned into a bloodbath in New Mexico on Friday, March 21, after a gunfight erupted between two rival groups, killing three and injuring 15 others in what authorities are calling a “senseless” tragedy.
The shooting broke out around 10 PM at Young Park in Las Cruces, where a large crowd of car enthusiasts had gathered for what local officials described as an unsanctioned car show. But the roar of modified engines soon gave way to the crackle of gunfire as bullets flew across the park.
Two 19-year-old men and a 16-year-old boy were killed in the exchange, with shell casings from up to 60 rounds littering the scene. Las Cruces police chief Jeremy Story said there had been simmering tensions between the two groups involved, and that the fight quickly escalated.
“There was an altercation between two groups of people and that altercation escalated to gunfire between both groups,” Chief Story explained at a press conference on Saturday. “Several other people were also injured in the crossfire.”
About 200 people were present when the chaos unfolded. Some bystanders began helping the wounded even before emergency services secured the area. Seven victims, aged between 16 and 36, were transferred to hospitals in nearby El Paso, Texas, for further treatment. Four others have since been discharged.
Police are now appealing to the public for help and are combing through video footage and eyewitness accounts. Despite the scale of the violence, no arrests have yet been made.
The monthly car meet-up, which reportedly attracted fans of modified sports cars, is now under scrutiny. Chief Story admitted that the gatherings had “become an issue.”
Chief Story refused to make the tragedy a political talking point, but he emphasised the need for the “rule of law”.
This latest shooting adds to the grim toll of gun violence in the United States, where debates over firearm access remain a divisive issue. According to Gun Violence Archive, there had already been a shocking 51 American mass shootings in 24 different states (and Washington D.C.) in the 78 days of 2025 before this incident.
Stay tuned to the Euro Weekly for more US news.
Get more news in English written specifically for people living in Spain.
