Las Cruces police have arrested the man suspected in Saturday morning’s shooting that sent two young adults to the hospital.
Lorenzo Sarabia, 22, of the 2400 block of south Espina Street, is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of tampering with evidence.
About 7:45 a.m. Saturday, June 2, Las Cruces police were dispatched to the report of a shooting near west Picacho Avenue and Sixth Street. Officers found an 18-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds. The woman had gunshot wounds to each arm while the man had a gunshot wound to his face. Both were transported to University Medical Center of El Paso where the man remains hospitalized in critical condition. The woman is in serious but stable condition.
Investigators learned the 18-year-old woman, Sarabia and others were celebrating her recent graduation from high school and spent part of Friday evening at a club on east University Avenue. After that, the 18-year-old and a female friend went to Sarabia’s apartment to continue partying.
Investigators believe that, about 7 a.m. Saturday, the 18-year-old woman and her friend left Sarabia’s apartment and went to a home on Van Patten Avenue. Shortly after arriving at that home Sarabia also arrived and was yelling at the 18-year-old woman, accusing her of stealing a large amount of Xanax from his apartment. A witness indicated that Sarabia was armed with a black handgun at the time.
Investigators learned the 18-year-old woman and 22-year-old man walked away from the Van Patten home and were followed by Sarabia who was driving a black car. At some point, Sarabia told the two to get into his vehicle. Investigators believe Sarabia drove around a short time before the two victims got out of the vehicle. Investigators believe Sarabia parked the car, walked up to the victims and began firing. A witness driving west along Picacho Avenue near Sixth Street heard the gunfire and saw a man firing a gun at someone on the ground. The witness circled around the block to find the victims on the ground. He called 911 to report the incident.
Investigators learned that Sarabia fled the area and threw the gun into a trash bin on McClure Road. Investigators located a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber handgun in a trash bin on the 600 block of McClure Road. Police located Sarabia at his apartment where he was taken into custody. He was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he’s initially being held without bond.
Information from Las Cruces Police