Police: 2 cousins arrested in gang shooting that left 1 dead; victim ID’d

The shooting death of a man in the east Las Vegas Valley earlier this month stemmed from a gang-related feud, according to an arrest report.

The Metropolitan Police Department have arrested cousins Jayden Torres, 19, and Kassandra Orozco, 16, in connection with the death of Carlos Valenzuela, 20, on July 18 at the 1500 block of South Hollywood Boulevard, near Hollywood Regional Park. The Clark County coroner’s office said Valenzuela died from a gunshot wound to the trunk and ruled his death a homicide.

Torres and Orozco are both charged with one felony count of open murder, online Las Vegas Justice Court records show. Orozco also faces felony counts of conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.

Orozco’s arrest report added that police have probable cause to arrest one of Torres’ friends in connection with the killing, though court records do not show charges against them. Metro did not immediately respond to an email inquiring about the person on Monday evening.

Police said Valenzuela was a member of the 18th Street gang, which rivals with the Florencia 13 gang that police say Torres and his friend are members of. A witness to the shooting told police that Orozco has romantic involvements with members of different street gangs.

Nighttime meet-up turned deadly

Police said surveillance footage near the scene showed three vehicles pull into a desert lot at the northwest corner of Park Access Road and West Access Road around 5 a.m. on July 18.

Video showed Valenzuela and his friend, another alleged 18th Street member, exit a red SUV and approach a black BMW two-door sedan, the report said. Torres and his friend, also a Florencia 13 member, exited the sedan, which also contained Orozco and a girl who told police she ran away from the Child Haven housing facility where she was staying with Orozco.

Police added that the third vehicle, a gray sedan, left shortly after arriving.

The girl told detectives that people in both cars were drinking alcohol the night of the shooting. She said Valenzuela and his friend were on good terms with Torres and his friend because the two believed they were part of a graffiti tagging crew, but tensions grew when Torres’ friend informed Valenzuela and his friend that he and Torres were Florencia 13 members.

A fight between the four broke out just before 5:10 a.m., the report said, causing Valenzuela to run south across Park Access Road to a ravine.

With Valenzuela’s back turned from the fight, police said video showed Torres’ friend point “an object at Carlos as he ran away and several muzzle flashes could be observed.”

Valenzuela’s friend stayed to fight, but soon after ran to Hollywood Regional Park, the report said. Torres and his friend appeared to chase Valenzuela’s friend, and “another white flash is observed” from an object Torres’ friend is holding, but the two returned to their sedan and left the desert lot around 5:10 a.m., according to police.

Audio recorded from a nearby residence captured an initial volley of seven gunshots, with another shot heard several seconds later, according to the report. Police said they found eight spent nine-millimeter cartridge casings and several empty alcohol bottles in the lot where the fight occurred.

Valenzuela kept running until he got to the east parking lot of the Hollywood Aquatic Center where he attempted to hail a passing vehicle, police said. Valenzuela then walked to the intersection where he ultimately died.

The girl said Orozco quieted her and held her back as she tried to convince Valenzuela to get into the sedan so they could get more alcohol before the fight occurred. “(She) thought Kassie’s actions were odd and she believed Kassie knew what was about to happen,” the report said.

Cellphone records showed Orozco and Torres’ phones were in the area of the crime scene at the time of the shooting, police said. Torres and his friend’s phone numbers made about 29 phone calls the day Valenzuela died, according to the report. Police said Orozco and Torres’ numbers called about 20 times that same day.

Three conspired to kill, police say

The girl told detectives that Torres drove erratically from the shooting scene as he and his friend discussed the need to get rid of the gun. Torres rear-ended a vehicle while on the freeway to the northwest valley and nearly collided with another after swerving from the crash, she said.

Orozco, Torres and his friend later instructed the girl to enter an unlocked Land Rover that police noted had previously been driven by Torres. The report said she sat in the car for several hours before the heat made her feel unwell.

Police arrested Torres on Wednesday after he attempted to drive a car out of his closed garage, striking vehicles in the driveway believed to belong to his family, according to the report. Clothing in Torres’ room and Land Rover linked him to the shooting, police said. He declined to do an audio and video interview with detectives.

Orozco was apprehended at her residence on Thursday, according to the report.

Torres and Orozco’s initial court appearances are both scheduled for Tuesday, online court records show.