Las Cruces police have arrested a Roswell man who is believed to be responsible for Tuesday afternoon’s shooting that injured the 32-year-old passenger of a fleeing car.
Raul Angel Castillo-Hernandez, 24, of the 600 block of east Apple Street in Roswell, N.M., is charged with one third-degree felony count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and three fourth-degree felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Just before 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, police and fire personnel were dispatched to the report of a gunshot victim on the 2400 block of Sonrisa Loop in northeast Las Cruces. First responders arrived to find the man suffering from at least one gunshot wound.
The gunshot victim, a 32-year-old man, was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Investigators learned two men and a woman were leaving an auto parts store on the 400 block of north Valley Drive when they noticed a man, later identified as Castillo-Hernandez, standing nearby, and looking at them in a threatening manner. As the two men and woman left the parking lot in a car, they noticed Castillo-Hernandez driving a gray Chevrolet Camaro and chasing them.
Investigators learned that sometime during the vehicle pursuit, Castillo-Hernandez discharged several rounds at the other vehicle. One of the rounds struck the 32-year-old man who was a backseat passenger in the other vehicle.
The driver of the fleeing vehicle pulled into a residential neighborhood on the 2400 block of Sonrisa Loop and sought help for his backseat passenger.
Investigators interviewed the three occupants of the fleeing vehicle and shortly after located Castillo-Hernandez who was taken into custody.
The 32-year-old victim has since been released from the hospital.
Castillo-Hernandez was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is initially being held without bond.