Detective says suspected gang member confessed to iPod killings

A 19-year-old man accused of killing two other teenagers during what is believed to be a gang brawl last week over a stolen iPod was identified by witnesses as the shooter and confessed when questioned by investigators, according to an arrest affidavit released Monday.

Juan Vasquez appeared before El Paso County Judge Jonathan Walker Monday to be advised of the charges he faces - two counts of first-degree murder.

Uriel Rascon, 18, who attended Sierra High School, and Luis Burciaga, 17, who went to New Horizons alternative school, were killed Thursday at Eastridge Park off Constitution Avenue east of Powers Boulevard. Both were shot with an SKS semiautomatic rifle, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

According to an arrest affidavit written by Sheriff's Office detective Ralph Losasso, the fight started when a Hispanic student at Sand Creek High School stole an iPod from a black student Wednesday.

The two fought after school Wednesday, but a school resource officer broke it up, the affidavit states.

The warring students agreed to meet at the park Thursday, and Sand Creek Assistant Principal David Morgan told investigators he was tipped off that a fight "between black students and Hispanic students" was going to happen that day by a Sand Creek student's relative.

Witnesses told police they saw Vasquez, who uses the street name "Scrappy," shoot the victims with the rifle. Witnesses also said a Crips street gang known as Playaz, Inc. or "PI" was at the park. It was unclear from the affidavit whether Vasquez was a PI member.

Witnesses said Vasquez's brother, Chris Vasquez, yelled at him before the shooting in the park to "stop" and "don't be stupid," the affidavit states.

Detectives recognized Vasquez's street name from an Aug. 2 shooting at 6835 Battle Mountain Road, the affidavit stated. That address, according to the sheriff's record is where Vasquez lives.

After the shooting, detectives served a search warrant on that address and Vasquez turned himself in.

Vasquez told Losasso he went to the park with his brother, girlfriend and several others to fight "a group of Hispanics."

"Juan said he had brought a rifle and covered it up in a gray hoody jacket," the affidavit states. "Juan said he observed victim number one grab his girlfriend and punch her in the face so he shot him."

Vasquez saw the second victim approach his brother with "something shiny" he thought might be a knife so he shot him, Losasso wrote.

Investigators found the SKS where Chris Vasquez told them he dumped it.

Vasquez, who is being held without bond at the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center, is due in court Jan. 22. Prosecutors could file charges at that time.

A man who answered Vasquez's home phone number and identified himself as Vasquez's brother said the family had no comment.

Relatives and classmates of the two victims have said they were not members of a gang and went to the park to try to break up the fight.