DEMING – Luna County officials and Starmax Entertainment Center are reviewing safety protocols and making operational changes following a shooting that occurred in the Starmax parking lot on the night of June 18.
According to Deming Police Chief Sergio Lara, officers were dispatched to the Starmax parking lot shortly before 11 p.m. in reference to reports of a shooting. While officers arrived and began questioning individuals at the scene, another call came in from the local Emergency Room regarding a gunshot victim. Officers responded to the hospital and located an 18-year-old male being treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. However, the individual refused to cooperate with investigators and declined to provide any information about the incident.
The case has been turned over to Lieutenant James Fetrow, who is actively following up on leads. The Deming Police Department is asking for the public’s help and encourages anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 575-546-9800 or submit a tip online at P3Tips.com. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
In the wake of the incident and other recent altercations, Starmax has announced it will halt alcohol sales after 6 p.m. this weekend and cancel all DJ events. Though the June 18 shooting was not directly tied to the bar or the interior of the facility, Starmax management called the situation alarming. Other disturbances have also reportedly begun inside and escalated into the parking lot.
County Manager Chris Brice told Deming Radio News that Starmax is meant to be a family-oriented entertainment center, but the facility has been experiencing an untenable number of unaccompanied minors being dropped off and left unsupervised—sometimes leading to disruptive behavior.
Luna County officials are reviewing emergency procedures with staff in the days ahead and anticipate reopening Starmax for full operations on June 23, pending continued evaluation. If incidents persist, more restrictive measures may be necessary.
Potential policy changes under consideration include:
- Ending alcohol service and closing the bar area by 10 p.m. on weekends
- Requiring minors to be accompanied by an adult at all times
- Posting and enforcing No Loitering signs in the parking lot
Chris Brice closed the statement by urging the community to help maintain Starmax as a safe and welcoming facility for all families in Luna County and surrounding areas.
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