18-year-old charged in Las Cruces shooting: Documents
UPDATE (Aug. 24, 2026): Las Cruces police arrested 18-year-old Jeremiah Angel Castillo in connection with Friday's shooting.
He faces an aggravated battery charge, two counts of aggravated assault and a tampering with evidence charge (third, fourth or indeterminate-degree felony).
According to documents, a woman and two men were walking near a Shell gas station on Idaho Avenue and Solano Drive. The woman allegedly told investigators that as they walked past the gas station, two young men "engaged her in brief conversation."
One of the men in the trio alleged the men in the sedan offered to sell him drugs, but he kept walking.
When the three reached Idaho and Luna Street, the two men drove up in a white sedan and abruptly stopped, documents said. The woman alleged the driver started to yell, but couldn't understand him.
Documents alleged the driver pulled out a handgun and fired toward the trio. The gunfire hit one of the men in the trio, investigators wrote.
The woman allegedly told investigators she had a gun in her bag, which she let one of the men take out. Documents said the man who was shot grabbed the gun and "fired back in self-defense."
The gunshot victim went to a hospital for treatment, police said. The other two victims ran away, according to documents.
During a follow-up investigation, officers found and recovered the white sedan on South Main Street, according to police.
That's when Castillo allegedly turned himself in for his involvement in the shooting, documents said.
Castillo allegedly told investigators he fired the gun "at an individual who allegedly pointed a firearm at him first."
Investigators wrote that Castillo "would not elaborate into further detail" and wouldn't provide information on where the gun was.
Documents said the white sedan had impacts from the bullets and was registered under a woman. Investigators contacted the sedan's owner, who allegedly said Castillo had her car at the time of the shooting.
According to court records, Castillo booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center without bond.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) -- A 36-year-old was injured in a shooting in Las Cruces Friday, police said. Police detained several people.
It happened near Idaho Avenue and Luna Street, the Las Cruces Police Department said.
Police responded to two men firing at each other in the area at about 2:50 p.m., the department said. When they arrived, they found several shell casings.
The injured man had gunshot wounds and was sent to a hospital, police said.
Detectives are working to find information about a suspect.
Lynn Middle School had a temporary shelter-in-place as a precaution, police said. It has since been lifted.
The intersection of Luna Street and Idaho Avenue was also temporarily closed.
