In the early hours of a summer morning in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the life of 19-year-old Nick Ortega was tragically cut short. On Sunday, June 4, 2023, what began as a birthday celebration at a house on Hilton Avenue in the northeast part of the city descended into violence, leaving three young men, including Nick, dead. Nick was a White male.
The party, attended by approximately 25 people, mostly between the ages of 18 and 20, took a fatal turn around 1 a.m.
Albuquerque police were dispatched to the scene following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered a grim tableau: Nick Ortega, and his friends Marcos Perez, 18, and Jordan Johnson, 18, were all found deceased from multiple gunshot wounds. A 17-year-old girl was also wounded in the leg but survived her injuries.
Investigations by the Albuquerque Police Department revealed that the deadly incident stemmed from a physical altercation. According to police, a fight broke out between Jordan Johnson, Marcos Perez, and Nick Ortega. In the midst of the confrontation, Johnson reportedly produced a handgun and shot Perez. In response, Ortega and Johnson exchanged gunfire. The investigation concluded that all individuals involved in the shooting were among the deceased.
In the aftermath of the triple homicide, authorities stated that there was no ongoing threat to the community as all the shooters had died during the altercation. Consequently, no arrests were made in connection with the deaths of Nick Ortega, Marcos Perez, and Jordan Johnson. The case remains an active investigation as detectives continue to piece together the precise sequence of events that led to the deadly gunfire. The community was left to mourn the loss of three young lives in a single, violent outburst at what should have been a joyous occasion.
