The young man suspected of causing Tuesday’s disturbance at a Las Cruces CVS store has been arrested and charged.
Christopher Drake Kingsbury, 18, of the 1000 block of Bloomdale Drive, is charged with one fourth-degree felony count of criminal damage to property and misdemeanor counts of battery, assault and interference with communications.
About 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 19, Las Cruces police were dispatched to the report of a disturbance and possible shots-fired at the CVS store at 3011 N. Main St.
Investigators learned Kingsbury went to the CVS and asked an employee if he could exchange $10 in change for paper currency. As the employee began helping, Kingsbury allegedly started using profanity and complaining that everyone is rude to him.
Witnesses told detectives that Kingsbury’s behavior was frightening the CVS customers.
When the employee called 911, Kingsbury allegedly became physical and slapped his hands down on the counter. Kingsbury used a lighter to ignite the fuse on what initially looked like a make-shift bomb. Kingsbury threw the device at the employee and it detonated. The device was subsequently determined to be a firework or pyrotechnic which caused no injury but sounded to some like gunfire.
Investigators learned Kingsbury threw merchandise from the counter at the employee and grabbed the telephone cord, ripping it away from the telephone. The employee tried to move customers out of harm’s way as Kingsbury continued his outburst. Las Cruces police officers arrived and took Kingsbury into custody without further incident.
The employee’s hand was somehow cut during the incident, but his injury is not life-threatening. Police determined that no gunshots were fired during the incident.
Kingsbury was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is initially being held without bond.
Information from Las Cruces Police