Las Cruces Police identify suspect in Mesilla Valley Mall stabbing

Police in Las Cruces say the man accused of stabbing two people at the Mesilla Valley Mall on March 23rd attempted to steal a vehicle occupied by a family of four as he tried to flee the mall.

Joshua James LeNoir, 31, of the 2800 block of Swartz Road, is facing a slew of charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon, attempted theft of a vehicle, battery, criminal damage to property and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.

Police believe LeNoir was shoplifting shortly before 9 p.m. Saturday, March 23, in the mall’s west Dillard’s store. Investigators learned that as LeNoir approached an exit to the west parking lot, he was confronted by a female store security officer. The security officer and LeNoir exchanged words before LeNoir allegedly punched the her in the face and torso.

Several employees then attempted to detain LeNoir near the mall’s entrance.

Police said the employees had LeNoir on the floor until the suspect pulled out a pocket knife and slashed a male employee’s arm.

LeNoir fled Dillard’s into the mall where a Verizon Wireless employee, who heard the commotion, was standing. Police said LeNoir then stabbed the Verizon employee and continued running into the mall. Several Dillard’s employees followed as LeNoir ran through the mall and into the Dillard’s store on the east side of the mall.

Investigators learned LeNoir exited Dillard’s through the southeast doors.

Once in the parking lot, LeNoir allegedly entered the driver’s side of a Dodge Journey as a woman was buckling her one-year-old daughter in the backseat. Police said the woman’s husband and their 3-year-old son, both on the driver’s side of the SUV, moved out of harm’s way and the woman was able to safely remove their daughter. The keys were not in the SUV so LeNoir was unable to start it.

Investigators learned several people tried barricading LeNoir inside the SUV for a brief time, but LeNoir tried to escape by kicking the windows. He then used the knife to break a window and make an escape into the parking lot, police said.

Las Cruces police officers arrived to find LeNoir in the parking lot on the east side of the mall. LeNoir was still armed with the knife and officers gave multiple commands for him to drop it.

Police officials said officers discharged multiple Taser rounds, but they had little effect on LeNoir, who remained armed with the knife, refused to obey commands and continued walking away.

Police officers then fired several bean-bag rounds attempting to disarm LeNoir, but that was also ineffective, police said.

Police said LeNoir was ultimately disarmed and taken into custody on the southeast side of the mall, near the east entrance to J.C. Penney.

LeNoir sustained multiple injuries from bean-bag hits and falling face-first onto the asphalt after multiple Taser strikes. He was transported to University Medical Center of El Paso where he remains hospitalized.

The Verizon Wireless employee who was stabbed was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He has since been released. The Dillard’s employee received a cut to a forearm but declined transportation to a hospital.

When he is released from the hosptial, LeNoir is expected to be held without bond, police said.

Police are asking for other witnesses of the incident to come forward. Anyone with additional information is asked to call police at (575) 526-0795.