Police make arrest in gang-related shooting from Saturday
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso Police have arrested a 19 year-old El Paso man for murder in connection to a shooting Saturday morning at the Gonzalez Apartments at 4101 Rich Beem Blvd. that left one man dead. El Paso County jail records show that Damian Alexander De La Riva was booked Monday on a $1 million bond. As ABC-7 reported and was on the scene for over the weekend, police responded to the apartments shortly before 4 AM Saturday.
According to a police complaint affidavit, the victim, identified as 24 year-old Omar Infante Jr., was at a small apartment party with two other people early Saturday morning. That's when police say De La Riva and Noah Lomeli, named as a co-defendant, came to the apartment after Lomeli was invited. Lomeli then began arguing with Infante over their opposing gang affiliations. Witnesses say that Lomeli identified himself as a member of "6th Street," known to El Paso Police as a street gang.
Witnesses then kicked Lomeli and De La Riva out of the apartment after continued arguing, when Lomeli and the Infante then agreed to a fight in the parking lot in the complex. According to the police affidavit, after a fist fight began, De La Riva ran down the stairwell and pulled out a black handgun, pointing it at Infante who backed away with his hands in the air. Lomeli also allegedly produced a handgun, and video of the parking lot recorded a shot being heard and Infante falling to the ground.
The video reportedly shows De La Riva and Lomeli beating a motionless Infante on the ground, including being "stomped and pistol-whipped numerous times." A second shot was then reported heard on the video. Police say that De La Riva and Lomeli took something from Infante's torso, possibly taking a photograph of Infante on the ground, and entered a red Nissan Altima and left the apartment complex.
Jail records also indicate that De La Riva has previously been previously arrested twice in El Paso - once in May for unlawful carrying of a weapon, and in April 2023 for possession of a controlled substance between 28 and 200 grams.
