Man Found Dead After Las Cruces Home Standoff

The 19-year-old man suspected of firing several rounds from a handgun that drew a heavy police response to his Gonzales Street neighborhood appears to have taken his own life.

Las Cruces Police were called shortly before 2 p.m. on Monday after someone called 911 to report that a neighbor was outside a home and firing a handgun into the air. Police arrived at the home and attempted to make contact with the 19-year-old man who went inside his residence and refused all attempts at communicating with officers.

LCPD’s SWAT and Hostage Negotiation teams mobilized and made several attempts at communicating with the man who appears to have fired several more rounds from inside the residence. The SWAT team introduced audible diversionary devices and tear gas into the home while attempting to persuade the man exit.

The SWAT and Hostage Negotiation Teams were unable to establish communication with the man.

Shortly after 5 p.m. members of the SWAT team made entry into the home and discovered the man deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. No one else was inside the residence and no other injuries were reported.

The identity of the man is being withheld to allow his family time to notify other relatives.

During the high-risk callout Las Cruces Police officers cordoned off a multi-block area that included Booker T. Washington Elementary School. For a short time, students and staff at the school were asked to remain indoors but school district officials coordinated with daycare providers and parents to safely release all children through a south exit.

Neighbors of the man’s residence were evacuated as a safety measure and all traffic in and out of the neighborhood was temporarily blocked. LCPD detectives are investigating the circumstances that led to incident.