Pedro Maldonado García Sr. has many regrets.

Leaving his native Chihuahua, Mexico, and coming to the United States had a price tag: the death of his only son. According to police reports, Pedro Maldonado Ramos Jr., 18, was shot in the neck Sunday night by 16-year-old John Villesange. Police say the shooting was gang related, but Pedro's family and friends say otherwise. Some say Villesange's target was not Pedro, but another teenager who was not at the Sangre de Cristo Apartments parking lot at the time.

Tuesday night more than 50 people gathered at the apartment complex north of St. Michael's Drive. They cried, shared hugs and prayed a rosary together. Children, teens and adults stood around Pedro's photo surrounded by flowers and white tea-light candles.

Alex Mitchell, 24, said he has lived at the apartments for 12 years, and this is the first time he has seen the community get together for a young man who "was caught up in the middle."

Even though Pedro, known by his friends as "Yako," did not live at Sangre de Cristo Apartments, he had made many friends there over the years. Jessica Avalos, the mother of a 16-year-old who was friend of the slain teen, said Pedro was supposed to spend the night at her house because he was leaving early the next morning for work. He worked for a home-remodeling company and was planning to travel to Hobbs on Monday.

María González, another neighbor and mother of a 17-year-old who was also a friend of Pedro's, said that she saw part of the incident. According to González, a group of teens who call themselves "Westsiders" walked into the apartment complex, where a few who claim to be "Southsiders" live, and fired five, six or seven shots. At least one of those bullets hit Pedro in the neck, police reports indicate.

But the root of the problem, many community members agree, is the inexplicable tension between the native New Mexicans — the "Westsiders" — and the Mexicans — the "Southsiders."

It's a fight about territory, about turf, that has been going on for decades. But for parents such as Maldonado García, who grew up in a different atmosphere in Chihuahua, that is not a good enough reason to lose his son.

The life for many immigrants in the United States is a daily discovery as they attempt to survive. Religious, community leaders and sociologists see the trend: immigrants arrive in a country full of opportunities for themselves and their children, and they take them. But in return for money, material possessions and comfort for their children, they spend less time together as a family.

"The children's education changes. Over there, my wife never had to work. Here she does," Maldonado García said. "Here, I've been thinking, we neglect the children because we have to go work ... you pay a big price. Look at us."

On Tuesday afternoon the Maldonado home at San Miguel Court Apartments, less than a mile away from where Pedro died, was filled with family and friends. Maldonado García was expecting many of his relatives from Sinaloa and Chihuahua.

Maldonado García brought his wife, Lorena Ramos, and their three children to Santa Fe eight years ago, after he lost his job as a supervisor at the Secretaría de Desarrollo Social or Sedesol, Mexico's federal social development department. Maldonado García supervised about 50 employees for 15 years, but lost his job when President Vicente Fox ended 71 years of rule by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional. Here he found a job as a construction laborer.

Maldonado García brought his wife, Lorena Ramos, and their three children to Santa Fe eight years ago, after he lost his job as a supervisor at the Secretaría de Desarrollo Social or Sedesol, Mexico's federal social development department. Maldonado García supervised about 50 employees for 15 years, but lost his job when President Vicente Fox ended 71 years of rule by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional. Here he found a job as a construction laborer.

In Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, the couple said, little Pedro played baseball, soccer and loved school.

"He was my only son, he called me mami," Ramos said in between sobs. "He was going to turn 19 on the 31st of July." The family at times called him "Pedrito" or "Pito" because when he was a toddler, he couldn't pronounce his whole name. Pedro attended DeVargas Middle School and finished only ninth grade at Santa Fe High School. His intentions were to get a GED while working at Lowe's grocery store, where he held a job for about two years. For the past three years, he has worked construction for the same home remodeling company. He and his girlfriend, Blanca Yañez, who had been dating for six years, had planned to move in together next year.

The family is working on funeral arrangements.

"When a woman knocked on my door late Sunday, I knew something had happened," Ramos said as she looked at a photo of her son. "We drove to the (Sangre de Cristo) apartments, but police didn't let me see him. I haven't seen my son.

"We don't know how many shots he received, we don't know why, we don't know anything ... all we know is that he's dead," Maldonado García said.