10-03-2024 8:21am

Taco Tuesday in Ruidoso Turns into a Gun Assault Incident at Taco Bell Between Employees

Chris Edwards Editor

National Taco Day, which kicked off the month on Oct. 1, 2024 and was an extra spicy celebration for most because it's also on a Tuesday – Taco Tuesday, but the stress of Taco Tuesday exploded in Ruidoso and what should have been a celebratory and fun day for Taco Bell employees, turned into a tense event with police activity leading to an arrest.

A 34-year-old man was arrested after assaulting a fellow Taco Bell employee with a handgun on Taco Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024 in Ruidoso, New Mexico, according to the Ruidoso Police Department.

According to Ruidoso Police, officers were dispatched at roughly 4 p.m. on Oct. 1 to the Taco Bell located at 26128 U.S. Highway 70 to respond to a 911 call of an employee “pulling a firearm” on another employee.

Once officers were on the scene, they “established communications" with the people inside and three employees exited the building safely.

Ruidoso Police learned a physical altercation between Mark Aragon, 34, and another employee led to Aragon assaulting the other with a handgun.

Aragon was located and arrested on the scene and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to Ruidoso Police.

In the initial 911 call, officers were notified of a shot that was fired during the altercation. After an investigation, it was found that no shooting occurred, according to Ruidoso Police.

Multiple agencies responded to the call and assisted in the investigation including the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico State Police, Ruidoso Downs Police Department and the Capitan Police Department per a police report.

No one was hurt during the incident, but needless to say, the headline and news from Ruidoso, is not the outcome the Taco Bell national marketing department intended for National Taco Day 2o24.