EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Doña Ana County District Attorney Fernando Macias says the juvenile suspects allegedly involved in the Young Park Las Cruces shooting can be charged as adults as they are facing first-degree murder charges.
The adult suspect, Tomas Rivas, 20, had his first appearance in magistrate court on Monday, March 24 regarding the shooting.
Macias says they gave notice to the court on Monday that they intend to file a motion for extended custody for Rivas.
“Once that occurs, the magistrate court no longer has jurisdiction, and it’s something that will be automatically transferred to the district court. We will be filing that motion for extended custody today,” Macias said.
Macias says the court will have up to five days to schedule the hearing for the extended custody motion to be heard and the district court judge will hear the evidence and make a decision.
Rivas will remain in custody until the hearing is set and Macias hopes to take this case to a grand jury within the next ten days.
Macias says the other three juvenile suspects, the two 17-year-olds and the 15-year-old can be charged as adults as they are facing a first-degree murder charge.
“And we intend to give notice that it’s the intent of the office to pursue adult sanctions because of their role in the shooting,” Macias said.
If the three juvenile suspects are charged as adults, they will stay in the Dona Ana County Juvenile Detention Center until they turn 18.
“It is our intent to attempt to fast-track the case as much as possible,” Macias said.
Macias says the shooting appeared to have resulted from two families that may have had ongoing confrontations. However, he says they have not fully ruled out if the shooting was gang-related or solely based on previous confrontations among the individuals who were involved in the shooting.
Macias also says the use of weapons for juveniles in the court system has risen and is a significant topic. However, Macias says he doesn’t want to discount the number of students who have had a positive impact on the community.
“There are certainly those that are continuing to present a danger to the community that we have to be very diligent and we have to take it very serious and we have to make sure that were able to communicate the consequences, the severe consequences if you’re involved with the use of weapons,” Macias said.
Macias also adds his support for the community.
“The justice will take its course and that we intend to be very diligent. The efforts that the Las Cruces Police Department and other stakeholders both at the local and federal levels, their efforts in this matter has been incredible. The community should be very proud of the efforts and the time that they have spent in order to accumulate all of the evidence and to make sure that we’ve identified the appropriate individuals as the shooters in this matter,” Macias said.
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