sa国际传媒官网网页入口

Two men have been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a man after an argument in a Main Event parking lot in late April.

Wyatt Drake, 17, and Kevin Vargas, 21, were arrested and charged with an open count of murder and conspiracy in the death of 28-year-old Isaiah Jackson-Herrera.

Drake faces additional charges of tampering with evidence and unlawful possession of a handgun by a minor.

Drake was arrested on Monday and Vargas was arrested on April 21 in Hobbs, said Gilbert Gallegos, spokesperson for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Police Department, in a Tuesday news release. 

鈥淪hooting a man in a parking lot is an extremely violent and dangerous behavior that threatens the safety of the community,鈥� states a pretrial detention motion filed for Vargas in Metropolitan Court. 鈥淒efendant killed Jackson in cold blood and there is absolutely no justification for his actions.鈥�

Police were dispatched around 2:15 a.m. April 19 after receiving a call that a man had been shot at entertainment center Main Event, located at 4040 Pan American Fwy., according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

Officers spoke with a woman, later identified as Jackson-Herrera鈥檚 girlfriend, and she told police she took a video of two men 鈥� later identified as Vargas and Drake 鈥� running away from the Main Event moments after allegedly shooting Jackson-Herrera, the complaint states.

Police then spoke with a Main Event security guard, who told them that he had escorted Drake and Vargas off of the property after he saw that Drake had a gun sticking out of his backpack, according to the complaint.

The two were hanging out on the sidewalk of Main Event eating food they had bought, according to Gilbert Gallegos, spokesperson for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Police Department, in a Tuesday news release.

Jackson-Herrera鈥檚 girlfriend said they were with a group of people when they walked out of Main Event around 1:30 a.m. They walked by Drake and Vargas, who allegedly said something to Jackson-Herrera, causing him to turn around and say, 鈥淲hat did you say?" the complaint states.

The woman told officers that at some point, the men began shoving each other and Jackson-Herrera fell to the ground, according to the complaint. When he stood up, Drake grabbed the gun from his backpack and allegedly shot Jackson-Herrera.

APD officers arrived a few minutes after the shooting and attempted to render aid, but Jacskon-Herrera was declared dead as a result of the gunshot wound, Gallegos said.

A described Jackson-Herrera as a 鈥渕an with a big heart鈥� who took pride in being a father to his children. 

鈥淗is passing has left an unimaginable void in the lives of his children, who have lost not only their father but their protector and provider,鈥� the GoFundMe states.

One of the men allegedly told Jackson-Herrera, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why you don鈥檛 (expletive) little kids,鈥� the complaint states. Drake and Vargas ran away after the girlfriend began to record them on her phone. 

The woman told police that one of the men had left behind a phone and she saw the Uber app open, according to the complaint.

When the Uber arrived, she asked the driver who he was picking up and he said the ride was for Vargas, the complaint states.

Officers used the Uber account information to find Vargas鈥� phone number and home address.

An employee at Main Event told officers that one of the men had left behind a credit card with the name 鈥淜evin鈥� on it, which police connected as Vargas鈥� credit card, the complaint states.

鈥淲hen detectives later questioned Vargas, he said after Drake and Jackson-Herrera exchanged words, Jackson-Herrera swung at Drake and Drake either pushed or hit Jackson-Herrera, and both fell down,鈥� Gallegos said. 

Vargas told police that Drake and Jackson-Herrera both reached for the gun, which is when Drake allegedly shot the man, according to Gallegos.

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.