Stolen iPod spurred gang slayings
January 9, 2009 - 10:43 AM

LANCE BENZEL
THE GAZETTE

A double-slaying east of Colorado Springs on Thursday was the result of a gang-related clash over a stolen iPod, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office said.

The suspect, 19-year-old Juan Vasquez, was arrested early this morning on suspicion of the murders of two teenage males at a park in the Cimarron Hills area, sheriff's spokeswoman Lt. Lari Sevene said.

Vasquez is being held in the El Paso County jail on an immigration hold placed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, jail records show. He is due to appear in court Monday. An arrest affidavit is not available.

The victims were 17 and 18 and attended Sierra High School and New Horizon School, Sevene said. Their names are being withheld until autopsies are finished.

The school district said there have been no significant incidents tied to the gang activity in the past two years, and administrators are instructed to crack down on gang paraphernalia and clothing.

According to Sevene, Vasquez and the two teens were members of rival gangs who met in the Cimarron Eastridge Park off Constitution Avenue for a feud that began a day earlier with fight over an IPod music player at Sand Creek High.

Vasquez and the two dead males were "associates" of those involved in the fracas at Sand Creek, Sevene said.

The confrontation Thursday unfolded among a group of 20 teenagers who gathered in a vacant field between the park and a large apartment complex. There were several fistfights before gunshots rang out, wounding the two victims.

One male died at the scene, and the other was pronounced dead about 5 p.m. at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, authorities said.

Within hours, investigators traced the feud to Sand Creek, and school officials quickly ordered a lockdown beginning this morning, with three police officers joining district security personnel on site to ensure the safety of students.

"I'm not sure what the connections are, and I think that was an appropriate response when we received that information last night," said Sand Creek High Principal Mike Collins.



Vasquez was arrested about 1:30 a.m. this morning in the vicinity of Peterson Road.

Sheriff's investigators remained at the park Friday, and used a metal detector to hunt for shell casings. Small flags marked the location of potential evidence, and extra deputies were on patrol because of the potential for retaliation.

Sevene said investigators are confident they have the only shooter involved in the attack but are still seeking witnesses to corroborate key details, such as how far Vasquez was from the victims before they were shot.

"We have everything from 10 feet to 12 yards," she said. The sheriff's office is withholding details about what kind of weapon was used and Sevene said she did not know where the victims were shot.

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