Two teenagers were taken into custody after seven teenagers were shot dead at a house party in Yuma on Saturday night, two of them dead.
Yuma police said Tuesday that detectives had filed a search warrant for the residence in connection with the shooting. With additional evidence, police said 18-year-old Jose Lopez was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and disorderly conduct with a weapon. Aden Alviso, 19, was also detained for false reporting and disorderly conduct with a weapon.
Yuma police responded to a call about gunfire in a residential area near West Southern Avenue and South Priest Drive just before 11 p.m. Saturday. Police said they had arrived and found several people with gunshot wounds.
Two men, later identified as Andre Blackthunder, 20, and Danny Garcia, 19, were taken to Yuma Regional Medical Center before police arrived, police said. They were later confirmed dead.
A 16-year-old boy was taken to the YRMC with life-threatening injuries. Four other teens were also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Their ages are 15, 16, 18 and 19 years old.
The two victims were taken to a Phoenix area hospital and are said to be in stable condition. The three victims were treated at the YRMC and released. Yuma officials said the victims were taken to hospital by both ambulances and private vehicles.
Yuma police said the owners of the mansion were not home at the time of the party but were cooperating with authorities.
A total of 30 shots were fired at the party, the Yuma Police Department said, adding that the perpetrators and victims knew each other. Several off-duty officers, including a California Highway Patrol officer, a Yuma Police Department detective, two Yuma District Border Patrol agents, and the wife of one of the nurses, assisted in responding to the shooting. .
A weapon was found at the scene and a forensic examination will be conducted. Police are still investigating what led to the shooting.
A news release from the Yuma Police Department said, “This does not appear to be a random act.”
The release said detectives had leads to the investigation, but no further details were provided.
Police say the investigation is still ongoing.
