Shooting incident believed gang-related

LAS VEGAS - Police are sorting out numerous leads in connection with a weekend shootout that left two people dead.

The shootings at a North Las Vegas residence were believed to be gang-related.

The woman may have been caught in a crossfire that erupted at a party early Sunday morning, police said.

The two victims, both 19, were identified by the Clark County Coroner's office as Bridgette Murad and Damien Aragon, both of Las Vegas.

It is the second time within a week that gang violence has erupted in the Las Vegas Valley.

Two teen-age boys were shot and wounded on Oct. 11 at Clark High School as they stood on the campus. Maynor Villanueva, 18, is facing attempted murder charges in the shootings and a 14-year-old boy may also face charges in connection with the incident.

In the North Las Vegas shooting, police believe members of a gang were among 100 people attending a party at the residence when rival gang members drove by and an argument broke out.

Police spokesman Lt. Chris Laratondo said officers interviewed as many as 20 people immediately following the incident and follow-up interviews are on-going. The number of witnesses and contradictory information from those witnesses has made the investigation difficult, he said.

''Everybody's pointing the finger at someone else,'' he said. ''It will take quite a while to figure this out completely.''

He said it appears that the female victim attended the party and was acquainted with the gang members who drove by.

''She may have been dropped off at the party by at least two members of one street gang,'' Laratondo said.

He said when the female was shot she may have been trying to get into the car driven by the gang members.

''They drove off but came back to pick her up,'' he said.

Laratondo said that's when the driver of the car was shot in the hand and the passenger, Aragon, was shot in the chest. Aragon died during surgery at University Medical Center.