Clovis Police Identify Primary Shooter in ‘Project Drunk’ Mass Shooting as Manhunt for Teenage Suspect Continues

Clovis police identify Enrique Juarez Padilla as the shooter in a deadly March party attack. One suspect is in custody as the search for Padilla continues.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 2, 2026, 10:40 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from KFDA NewsChannel 10

A Targeted Dispute Ends in Public Tragedy

The investigation into a deadly mass shooting in Clovis, New Mexico, has taken a significant turn as local law enforcement uncovers the personal motivations behind the March 22 attack. During a press briefing, Clovis Police Chief Trevor Thron disclosed that the violence at the "Project Drunk" event was not a random act but the culmination of a pre-existing conflict. Investigators believe the accused gunman had a history of friction with the brother of a female attendee. This long-standing grievance reportedly boiled over just after midnight near Grand and Calhoun Street, transforming a private social gathering into a scene of lethal chaos that claimed the life of 21-year-old Lyrasha Haskins.

Manhunt Intensifies for Teenage Fugitive

Police have officially identified 18-year-old Enrique Juarez Padilla as the primary shooter in the incident, basing their conclusion on extensive witness interviews and a review of available surveillance footage. Despite the identification, Padilla remains a fugitive, prompting Chief Thron to issue a stern warning to the public regarding the suspect's volatile nature. Law enforcement officials emphasize that any individual involved in a crime of this magnitude who refuses to surrender poses a persistent threat to community safety. Padilla is currently facing a litany of serious charges, including first-degree murder, as federal and local agencies coordinate efforts to track his movements.

Accomplice Surrenders as Legal Pressure Mounts

While the search for the primary gunman continues, a second suspect linked to the massacre has been removed from the streets. 19-year-old Kaleb Moreno Ponce turned himself into authorities recently and is facing identical charges to those filed against Padilla. The surrender of Ponce marks a critical milestone for the prosecution, potentially providing a clearer narrative of the events leading up to the gunfire. Both teenagers are accused of acting in concert during the assault, which left multiple victims wounded in addition to the single fatality. Ponce is currently being held at the Curry County jail as the judicial process begins to take shape.