LCPD: Father defends daughter with shovel after man shoots at her

A Las Cruces man was arrested Thursday afternoon after Las Cruces Police said he shot at a woman and her father following a heated argument.

Joseph Nicolas Crespin Jr., 35, of the 100 block of north Tornillo Street, is charged with one count of attempted murder, and one count of shooting at or from a motor vehicle.

Police said at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, officers were called out to a report of gunfire on the 1100 block of Dove Lane.

Detectives later learned that Crespin had been in a disagreement since the night before with a 24-year-old woman who lived at the Dove Lane residence.

Police said the following morning, Crespin returned and continued the heated argument with the woman and her father.

Witnesses told detectives that the argument escalated and Crespin got into a dark-color SUV where he pulled out a handgun, pointed it at the woman and pulled the trigger. The gun apparently malfunctioned and did not fire.

Detectives learned that Crespin handed the gun to his passenger who remains unknown to police.

Crespin allegedly then grabbed another handgun, pointed that weapon at the woman and fired one round that struck a vehicle near where she was standing.

The woman’s father grabbed a shovel and, in an attempt to distract Crespin and defend his daughter, struck Crespin’s vehicle.

Detectives believe that’s when Crespin pointed the handgun in the woman’s father and fired at least one round toward him.

Neither the woman nor her father were struck by gunfire said police.

They said Crespin backed his SUV away from the driveway and drove away.

His whereabouts were unknown until Thursday morning when he was located at a residence on Watson Lane in Mesilla Park.

Crespin was taken into custody by a Las Cruces Police officer with the assistance from a Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office deputy.

Crespin was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he’s being held on a $10,000 cash-only bond.