Man charged in fatal Century Rio 24 shooting appears in court
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Days after a deadly shooting caused the Century Rio 24 movie theater to close, the suspected shooter made his first appearance before a judge.
The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office has filed for pretrial detention against 19-year-old Enrique Padilla, saying he’s a threat to the community. They want him held in jail until his trial.
“The defendant opened fire inside a crowded movie theater, putting the lives of everyone in danger,” prosecutors wrote.
According to police, Padilla shot and killed 52-year-old Michael Tenorio during an argument over seating assignments at the theater.
“It is clear the defendant has no regard for the safety of others, and he is willing to kill over a minor inconvenience,” prosecutors said.
Even though an arrest has been made, the investigation isn’t over yet. According to the criminal complaint, Padilla’s girlfriend punched the victim’s wife in the face, repeatedly.
KOB 4 asked District Attorney Sam Bregman if Padilla’s girlfriend could also be facing charges. He said the investigation is still ongoing and he can’t comment.
In the next 10 days, another judge will decide whether or not Padilla will stay in jail.
As for the movie theater, Rio 24 is expected to remain closed through the weekend. No showtimes are listed on their website until Monday.
A GoFundMe for Tenorio’s family has been set up here.
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Source: KOB 4
