On November 24, 2023, at about 9:00 p.m., El Paso County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of gunfire in the Red Sands area in far east El Paso. Deputies found 18-year-old Mauricio Elias shot; he was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead at 10:45 p.m. Two other 18-year-old males suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and were treated at local facilities.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit investigated the shooting. On April 6, 2024, 19-year-old Angel Gallardo of the Horizon City area was located and arrested and charged with murder; bond was set at $1 million. The incident occurred at Red Sands, a popular desert off-roading site, and has raised community safety concerns.

If anyone has information about the shooting or witnessed activity in the Red Sands area that night, please contact authorities.