INACTION IS DEADLY: Here’s What We Know About Friday’s Mass Shooting in Las Cruces 

SANTA FE, N.M. — On Friday, an altercation escalated into gun fire at Young Park in Las Cruces during a car show attended by hundreds of people – resulting in three teenagers shot and killed and 15 others – ranging in age from 16-36 – wounded. As gunfire and chaos erupted in Las Cruces, lawmakers in Santa Fe failed to pass legislation to ban assault weapons – a widely supported life-saving policy that would keep the deadliest weapons out of our communities – including reports of one present on site during this senseless tragedy.

“We cannot live like this. We cannot let our friends, family, and neighbors die like this,” said Leighanne Muñoz, a New Mexico Students Demand Action volunteer and National Organizing Board Member. Muñoz is a gun violence survivor and Las Cruces native.. “Lawmakers need to do more to protect our communities’, starting with doing their jobs and passing gun violence prevention bills like banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines when they are in the legislative session. While Senator Cervantes was pushing his personal agenda, his neighbors were being gunned down on a car show that turned into a battlefield.”        

“Our communities can’t be safe while weapons of war are being wielded freely and legally in our streets,” said Cheryl Haase, a volunteer with the New Mexico chapter of Moms Demand Action. “When lawmakers like Senators Wirth, Cervantes, and Muñoz, prioritize their personal agendas over public safety, we pay a deadly price. Let’s be clear: we’re tired of thoughts and prayers, we want action. Lawmakers have sat around for far too long – it’s time to get back to work and honor victims of gun violence with life-saving action.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Here’s What We Know About the Shooting in Young Park: 

• According to authorities, the initial investigation has revealed that multiple firearms were involved, and at least 60 rounds were fired.  
• Witnesses captured video footage of a young man brandishing an AR-15 during the chaotic scene of a deadly shooting in Las Cruces. While law enforcement has stated that initial reports do not suggest the weapon was fired, the mere presence of such an assault rifle in a highly charged environment speaks volumes about the potential for violence and gravely complicates the law enforcement response. Regardless of whether the weapon was discharged, assault weapons possess an inherent danger. Lawmakers failed to act after the Farmington shooting in 2023 and refused to pass an assault weapons ban in the past three legislative sessions. 
• Law enforcement has stated that they have not yet recovered any casings that are consistent with rounds typically fired from rifles. Note: Assault weapons can include shotguns or pistols as well. 10 states and Washington D.C ban assault weapons, including some semiautomatic shotguns or pistols. 
• Early reports suggest a potential use of high capacity magazines. High-capacity ammunition magazines, commonly defined as those capable of holding more than 10-rounds, make shootings more deadly. The more rounds a shooter can fire without reloading, the more wounds they can inflict. 14 states and Washington D.C ban high capacity magazines, including the neighboring state of Colorado. 

In February, Representative Andrea Romero and Senator Debby O’Malley introduced SB 279, a measure known as the “GOSAFE Act.” The legislation sought to prevent far-too-common mass shootings by prohibiting certain semiautomatic weapons that can fire dozens of rounds in seconds, as well as high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. This was the third year in a row that Representative Romero and other law makers put forth a bill to prevent mass shootings by banning the weapons of choice for mass shooters. 

On Saturday, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham called for a special session. It’s clear inaction is deadly and there cannot be any conversation regarding gun safety without bringing back the assault weapons and high capacity magazines ban legislation. This is the list of Democratic lawmakers who blocked SB 279, ignoring widespread support and ran out the clock to even prevent taking a vote on the legislation: 

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• Senator Peter Wirth, as Majority Floor Leader, orchestrated a systematic stalling of SB 279 to run the clock on legislation to ban assault weapons.  
• Senator Joseph Cervantes, represents a bordering district of Friday’s mass shooting and is the only Democrat on record to vote against the assault weapons ban this session. Earlier this month, Students Demand Action wrote to Senator Cervantes urging his support as Judiciary Chair. He did not respond. 
• Senator George Muñoz, as chair of the Finance Committee, questioned the constitutionality of an assault weapons ban, ignoring that 10 other states already ban these deadly weapons. Senator Muñoz refused to hear SB 279. 

A January poll from Everytown for Gun Safety found New Mexicans overwhelmingly support gun safety and the need for urgent action with 81% of respondents thinking that gun violence prevention should be a priority for lawmakers this legislative session. Over 60 percent of respondents signaled support for a ban on assault weapons including half of gun owners. 

The rate of gun deaths has increased 59% from 2014 to 2023 in New Mexico, compared to a 34% increase nationwide. In an average year, 526 people die by guns. With a rate of 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people, New Mexico has the 3rd-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. More information about gun violence in New Mexico is available here.