Four individuals lost their lives, and six others sustained injuries in a mass shooting that took place in the Four Corners region of New Mexico on Monday.
Farmington police reported that three civilians were killed, and the 18-year-old suspect was confronted and fatally shot on the scene. Deputy Police Chief Baric Crum said that the suspect was armed with multiple weapons.
According to Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe, the shooter fired randomly at victims, with at least six houses and three cars struck. The gunman used at least three weapons, including an AR-style rifle.
Police officers responded to several 911 calls about a shooting at around 11:00 am on Monday, May 15, and found the shooter still firing at people. Four officers from the Farmington Police Department confronted and shot the suspect. Two law enforcement officers were among the six people injured, with one being released after treatment while the other, a state police member, remained hospitalized.
Police are investigating a motive for the shooting and plan to speak with family members and analyze evidence. Chief Hebbe also mentioned that the shooting seems entirely random, with no specific victims targeted. The suspect traveled approximately a quarter mile through the neighborhood, firing at people with three weapons.
Initially, police were concerned about the possibility of a second shooter, prompting schools to enter lockdown. However, they quickly determined the suspect acted alone.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed her gratitude for law enforcement’s rapid response and her condolences for the victims’ families and the community.
Monday’s shooting follows two other incidents in the past nine days. In Yuma, Arizona, two people died, and five others were injured on Saturday, May 13. All seven victims were male and suffered gunshot wounds, with two pronounced dead at Yuma Regional Medical Center. Police have not yet arrested any suspects. Another mass shooting occurred a week earlier, resulting in nine deaths at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas. The 33-year-old shooter was shot dead by police at the mall.
