Investigators believe a drive-by shooting that killed a teen and injured another in Longmont over the weekend was related to a gang dispute that stemmed from a fight at the Boulder County Fair earlier in the month.

Yahir Solis, 19, is facing charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

According to an arrest affidavit released Monday, three teen boys were walking through Kensington Park in Longmont at about 1:49 p.m. Saturday when they noticed a silver sedan eastbound on Longs Peak Avenue.

The teens told police they saw the driver lean out the window pointing a gun. The boys tried to run, but one of them was shot in the chest and another was hit in the leg.

The 13-year-old who was hit in the chest was declared dead after being transported to Longs Peak Hospital. The 15-year-old who was shot in the leg survived, while the third person was not injured.

The teens who were shot were Longmont residents. The name of the teen who died has not yet been released by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office, but Denver7 identified the victim as 13-year-old Zay Rosales.

“He was loved by many. He always had a smile on his face,” Mary Alvidrez, Zay’s cousin, told Denver7 on Sunday.

About six minutes after the shooting, police located a vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle in the shooting near Second Avenue and Pratt Street.

The driver of the car was identified as Solis, and he was taken into custody on outstanding warrants.

Witnesses could not positively identify Solis as the shooter, but police found bullets and a handgun inside the car.

According to the affidavit, one of the teens who survived the shooting said that members of two gangs — “PBG” and “ESL” — got into a fight at the Boulder County Fairgrounds on Aug. 12, and that members of the PBG had been sending threats on social media.

One of the Instagram accounts that sent the threats was tied to Solis, according to the affidavit.

The connection of the teens to the gangs was redacted in the affidavit.

Solis remains in custody without bond as he awaits a hearing in his case. If charged with first-degree murder, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“In the immediate aftermath of this awful shooting, the Longmont Police Department responded very quickly and worked hard to determine what led to this tragic death,” Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said in a statement. “The work on this case will continue and, together with the Longmont Police Department, we will pursue justice for the victims and their loved ones. I join with the Longmont Police Department in calling for peace in our community. It is moments such as these when our community must come together; further violence is not the answer. We encourage witnesses to come forward.”

Anyone with information or who may have surveillance video from the area is asked to call the Longmont Public Safety tip line at 303-774-3700 and reference Longmont case No. 22-7223.

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