San Juan County man accused of shooting juvenile in leg after drinking alcohol

• Marco Florez is accused of shooting a 17-year-old boy in the early morning hours of Nov. 27 at a home in the Aztec area
• The gunshot victim suffered a broken femur.
• Florez has been charged with a third-degree felony count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Correction: The San Juan County District Attorney's Office said the gunshot victim was a 17-year-old boy and the article has been updated to reflect that.

The charges filed against Marco Florez were dismissed on Jan. 28, 2021, by the prosecution, according to court records.

FARMINGTON — A San Juan County man is accused of shooting a juvenile in his leg in the early morning hours of Nov. 27 at a residence on County Road 3000 in the Aztec area during a family gathering, according to court documents.

Authorities say Marco Florez, 37, fired a round from a handgun at a group of people after consuming alcohol.

Florez has been charged with a third-degree felony count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to the criminal complaint. He did not have legal representation on the morning of Dec. 1.

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the residence around 1:16 a.m. on Nov. 27 to investigate a reported shooting. A 17-year-old boy was found with a gunshot wound to his upper right leg. Deputies applied a tourniquet before he was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center.

The gunshot victim suffered a broken femur.

Investigators interviewed multiple witnesses. Interviews with three men and the shooting victim largely overlapped. One male witness said he arrived at the residence to hang out with family.

Florez allegedly started to become upset as he consumed alcohol and became angry during an argument about a female relative’s dating life, according to court documents.

One male witness said some people started to leave after Florez became angry. He added Florez started to kick the vehicle they were in, jumping on the windshield and hood.

Florez then allegedly went to his vehicle, got his handgun and shot it in the air.

The defendant is accused of then pointing the handgun at a group of people and firing a round toward them.

The gunshot victim said the round hit the ground first, ricocheted then and hit him in the leg. He added that he couldn’t believe Florez would shoot him, a court document stated. 

Documents indicate that Florez then fled the scene in a red pickup truck. Two brass 9mm bullet casings were found in the yard.

One female relative told law enforcement that relatives attacked her and Florez. She added that she and Florez responded by firing their guns to break up the fight.

As investigators asked her more questions, she declined to answer them and stated she needed an attorney.

Florez was booked into the San Juan County Adult Detention Center on the morning of Nov. 27 and was released in the evening of Nov. 30.

His preliminary hearing is set for the morning of Dec. 10 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.

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