By Roger Lanse

On Sunday, June 21 at about 8:55 p.m. Silver City police officers, Grant County sheriff's deputies and New Mexico State Police responded to a reported shooting near the intersection of N. Swan and 6th streets.

Shortly after arriving at the scene, a press release stated, officers were advised that three shooting victims were in the emergency room at Gila Regional Medical Center. All were from the reported shooting and all were males, ranging from 18 to 23 years of age.

According to the release and preliminary investigation, the 19-year-old victim and some friends were having a party when a black truck arrived and an 18-year-old male got out and apparently started an altercation with the 19-year-old.

During the altercation, both males pulled out guns and began shooting at each other. A 23-year-old attempted to stop the shooting, the press release said, got between the two males, and was shot approximately seven times in the upper torso and extremities.

According to the release, an off-duty Santa Clara police officer witnessed part of the incident and stated that the 18-year-old got back in the truck and fired more shots from inside the vehicle. At that point, the officer fired a number of rounds at the fleeing truck.

Two of the injured were flown out to an El Paso hospital, the 23-year-old in critical condition and the 19-year-old in fair condition, the release said. The 19- and 18-year-olds suffered wounds to their right arms. The 18-year-old was treated at GRMC and released.

No charges have been filed at this time and the investigation is continuing.