On the evening of September 29, 2023, a dispute that began in a Las Cruces, New Mexico sports bar tragically escalated, resulting in the shooting death of 42-year-old Hispanic male, Tony Perez. The initial altercation occurred at the Blitz Sports Bar on East Idaho Avenue, where Perez was involved in a conflict with a 41-year-old motorcyclist. Following this initial confrontation, both men left the establishment.
Perez, accompanied by a friend, departed in a Lincoln Town Car, while the
motorcyclist left on his blue Harley-Davidson motorcycle, with his wife following in a separate vehicle. The conflict, however, was far from over. The two men encountered each other again at the intersection of Idaho Avenue and South Main Street, where the argument turned violent. According to witness statements provided to the Las Cruces Police Department, Perez reportedly struck the motorcyclist multiple times with a baton.
In response to the attack, the motorcyclist is believed to have drawn a handgun and fired at least one shot, which struck Perez. Despite his injuries, Perez and his friend were able to get back into their car and flee the scene. They later flagged down a police officer on Wyatt Drive, and first responders were called to render aid. Tragically, Tony Perez succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
In a strange turn of events, shortly after the shooting, the motorcyclist was the victim of a hit-and-run. A dark-colored sedan, traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Idaho Avenue, struck the motorcyclist and his motorcycle. The driver of the sedan did not stop to render aid and fled the area. The motorcyclist sustained multiple non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
In the immediate aftermath, the Las Cruces Police Department initiated an investigation into both the shooting death of Tony Perez and the hit-and-run involving the motorcyclist. Authorities publicly sought information from any potential witnesses to either incident and requested assistance in identifying the driver of the dark-colored sedan. As of the latest available online reports, no arrests or charges have been publicly announced in connection with the shooting death of Tony Perez, and the identity of the motorcyclist has not been released. The investigation into the complex series of events of that night was reported to be ongoing.
