Las Cruces mass shooting suspects charged as adults, plead not guilty

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- All four suspects in the Young Park mass shooting appeared before Judge Arrieta this morning at the Third Judicial District Court in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Tomas Rivas, 20, Gustavo Dominguez, 17, Nathan Rivas, 17, and Josiah Ontiveros, 15 all pleaded not guilty.

Officials say that all the suspects will be charged as adults.

Defense attorney for Gustavo Dominguez, Herman Ortiz, says he's confident his client didn't commit first degree murder on the night of March 21st, saying the shooting was in an act of self defense.

"There's a large male that grabbed my client, was choking him from behind at him in a very, very severe choke hold. He couldn't breathe and that's what initiated this," Ortiz telling media.

The cases for all four will be tried together according to District Attorney Fernando Macias, unless the defense attorney's file a motion to separate the trials.

Ortiz saying that he plans on asking the judge to consider conditions for release.

"That should happen in the next, 15 days or so. Once we get additional information."