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18 people shot, 3 killed, at Las Cruces, New Mexico park

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Police at the scene (Credit: CBS4)

At least 18 people were shot, three fatally, when gunfire erupted during a car show at a park in Las Cruces in New Mexico, just north of the U.S.-Mexico border, according to local officials. No arrests were immediately made.

A large group of people had gathered in the parking lot of Young Park on late Friday to attend an unsanctioned car show, which came to an abrupt end just after 10 p.m., when an altercation between two groups led to an exchange of gunfire.

Footage from the scene showed people fleeing and hiding behind cars as dozens of gunshots were fired in rapid succession.

The Las Cruces Police Department confirmed that 3 people were killed in the shooting, including two men aged 18 and 19, and a 16-year-old boy. Fifteen others, ranging in age from 16 to 36 years, were injured and taken to hospitals in both Las Cruces and El Paso, Texas.

“The investigation so far reveals that there was an altercation between 2 groups of people and that altercation escalated to gunfire between both groups. Several other people were also injured in the crossfire,” Police Chief Jeremy Story said at a press conference on Saturday.

No arrests were made as of Saturday afternoon.

Las Cruces police are receiving assistance from New Mexico State Police, the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said she was “heartbroken and horrified” by Friday’s mass shooting.

“My heart goes out to the victims, their families, and the entire Las Cruces community during this unimaginably difficult time,” Grisham said. “The indiscriminate nature of this shooting is both shocking and unacceptable, but sadly not surprising.”

Grisham added: “The disturbing rise in violent crime in Las Cruces—which has increased by 46 percent compared to last year—demands immediate and sustained attention. This is not merely a statistic; these are our neighbors, our children, our future.”

Anyone with information about Friday’s mass shooting is asked to call police at (575) 526-0795. People who are trying to confirm the status of a loved one may call the same number.

A Nest camera captured sound of the shooting

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