Bystander shot Cielo Vista Mall gunman as suspect fled fight while pointing gun

A bystander shot and helped detain a 16-year-old boy suspected of fatally shooting another teen as two groups fought in Cielo Vista Mall, El Paso police said late Friday night.

Angeles Zaragoza, 17, was with a group consisting of a 17-year-old boy, a 17-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl when they got into an argument with another group around 5 p.m. Wednesday near the food court at the mall, police officials said.

The other group included the suspected shooter — a 16-year-old boy — along with a 20-year-old man, a 17-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy.

Police did not release the name of the suspect or the other people involved in the fight.

The argument between the groups escalated into a physical fight during which the 16-year-old suspect pulled out a gun and fatally shot Zaragoza and seriously wounded the 17-year-old boy who was with Zaragoza, officials said.

The 20-year-old man, who was with the alleged shooter, also was shot.

After the shooting, the suspect ran away while pointing his gun toward the direction of bystanders, including a 32-year-old man, police said.

The bystander pulled out his gun as the suspect ran towards him and other bystanders and shot the suspect, police said. Police identified the bystander as being licensed to carry a firearm.

“As soon as the shooting ended, the 16-year-old suspect began to run and was pointing the gun towards the direction of bystanders, including (bystander), a Licensed to Carry Holder,” police said. “As the suspect ran towards (bystander) and bystanders, (bystander) drew his handgun and shot the suspect,” according to the news release.

The El Paso Times is not identifying the bystander since he has not been charged with a crime.

An off-duty El Paso Police Department officer, who was working security at the mall, arrived at the area of the shooting and helped the bystander render aid to the suspect and the others who were injured in the shooting, police said.

Police initially stated after the shooting that the off-duty police officers was responsible for taking the suspect into custody and never mentioned a bystander being involved.

There were at least two other legally armed bystanders in the area where the shooting took place, but were not involved, police said. Texas has a constitutional carry gun law allowing 21-year-old and older residents to carry concealed weapons.

Police said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing and charges are pending against the 16-year-old suspect.

The suspect remains in the hospital and is last listed in stable condition, police said.

This is the fourth murder of 2023 as compared to two at this time last year, police said.