NMSP officers arrest 18-year-old for deadly house party shooting

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, N.M. — New Mexico State Police arrested a suspect accused of killing someone and wounding another person in a shooting at a house party Friday.

Around 11 p.m. Friday, dispatch received a 911 call about a man shot in the chest. Investigators found that 18-year-old Jeremiah Salazar and 23-year-old Gabriel Rivera got into a verbal dispute that turned physical at a house party in a rural area about 15 minutes south of Las Vegas.

According to NMSP, Salazar pulled out a handgun and shot Rivera. The shooting left Rivera dead and a bystander with non-life-threatening injuries.

NMSP officers said they took Salazar into custody after finding him walking on the side of the road. They allege that Salazar had a gun on him.

Salazar is now behind bars in the San Miguel Detention Center. He faces these charges:

• Second-Degree Murder
• Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon
• Unlawful Possession of a Handgun
• Negligent Use of a Deadly Weapon

“As a state, we are seeing the harmful and devastating impact of gun violence, particularly among our youth.” NMSP Police Chief Troy Weisler said, “This is not just a law enforcement issue. This is a social issue, a community issue that requires intervention from all corners of the community. The safety of our state depends on it.”