Convicted felon allegedly opens fire on a neighbor’s party

Gilbert Uranga Jr., 23, was arrested after he allegedly got angry at a loud party in a nearby apartment and opened fire at the Alexis Apartment Complex in Las Cruces.

Las Cruces police told ABC-7 around 3 a.m. on Sunday, Uranga started yelling at the partygoers who were apparently celebrating a wedding.

Then police said Uranga got a handgun and shot at the balcony from the parking lot, shattering the sliding glass door and hitting the walls.

Police said no one was hit.

The fight then continued in the parking lot, where police said at least one person involved used a baseball bat to attack the others.

One man was injured and taken to the hospital. Police said his injuries were not life-threatening.

At one point, police said Uranga’s roommate took the gun away and hid it. Charges against the roommate are pending.

Police said Uranga was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in 2007, and he should not even have had a gun.

A neighbor who did not want to be identified told ABC-7 he heard the commotion.

“I could hear something. I was asleep, and I didn’t think of it, but thenwe heard the gunshots. I was like, ‘Wow, I guess something’s going on outside,'” the neighbor said.

The neighbor told ABC-7 the fight started in the parking lot and then went upstairs.

“We were looking outside the window, and there’s guys right there. They were like, ‘Let’s go, let’s go’ and they came up here and the guyhad a bat. He was banging on the thing going over there saying, ‘I’mgonna kill you,'” the neighbor said.

There was a sense of fear in the apartment complex as neighbors cautiously opened the door to address the ABC-7 crew. Many were afraid to talk about what happened.

“I really just stay inside and go to work,” one man said.

“I’m going to start locking my doors for sure now,” a woman told ABC-7.

Another neighbor said he didn’t understand why the fight started.

“I didn’t hear a party. I guess they weren’t as loud as these guys downstairs,” the neighbor said.

Uranga is charged with four counts of shooting at a dwelling or occupied building and one count each of possession of a firearm and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Doa Ana County Detention Center on a $50,000 cash-only bond.