New Mexico shooting: 4 die in Farmington, including shooter. 2 officers wounded. What we know

FARMINGTON ― At least four people are dead and six were injured in what Farmington Police Department described as an 'active shooter' incident Monday afternoon.

Here's what we know:

Suspected shooter is dead

The Farmington Police Department said a suspect in Monday's shooting is dead.

Officials identified him as an 18-year-old but did not name him.

An official at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Megan Mitchell, called the incident “an open and active ongoing investigation.” Mitchell said she did not immediately have more information.

"At this time, the details we have are that multiple officers from the Farmington Police Department were involved in an officer involved shooting. One suspect was confronted and killed on scene," read a news release from the San Juan County Sheriff's Office.

Hank Shirley who lives about a block west of the scene said he was home watching television when he heard a series of gunshots around 11 a.m. which he described as a prolonged gun battle.

Shirley said he did not see what happened but rather identified the distinctive pops as gunfire.

"When I heard that, I told my daughter to get down in the basement and get the baby down in the basement," Shirley told the Daily Times.

About four minutes after the gunfire ceased, he said he heard sirens and saw emergency vehicles approaching.

At least three people are dead

Farmington Police said the shooter killed three people and noted at the time there was no threat to the public.

San Juan Regional Medical Center, where victims were taken for medical care, was locked down during the "crisis," according to statement from the hospital, as an incident command center was put in place to organize the facility's response.

"We worked closely with law enforcement to ensure the safety of our patients and caregivers. We thank them for their service. We are grateful today and every day to our caregivers who respond and stand ready to serve,," said Laura Werbner, public relations coordinator for San Juan Regional Medical Center.

Werbner said the hospital and its staff offered "condolences and prayers" of the deceased.

Several injured, including two police officers

A Farmington police officer and a New Mexico State Police officer were shot in the incident.

Both were being treated for their injuries at the San Juan Regional Medical Center. They were both reported as being in stable condition.

San Juan Regional Medical Center said it received seven patients for treatment, including the two officers.

Officers from those two departments and the San Juan Sheriff's Office were investigating the shooting.

Federal agents from Phoenix were headed to Farmington, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said via Twitter.

Shooting took place at Dustin Ave., Hopi St.

Daily Times Reporter Mike Easterling said the 900 block of Dustin Avenue, between Navajo Street and Hopi Street was cordoned off by responding law enforcement in a residential neighborhood of the city.

Authorities secured the scene, and they held residents back several blocks away while officers investigated the area where the shooting happened.

Mass shootings in 2023

According to data from gunviolencearchive.org, there have been 225 mass shootings in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2023 resulting in 296 deaths as a result of the gun violence. Neighboring Texas has seen 17 mass shootings since the start of the year.

This is the first "mass shooting" reported this year in New Mexico; though it is not the first time San Juan County has been the location of such violence.

In 2017 21-year-old William Atchison opened fire at Aztec High School, killing two students and then himself.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issues statement

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement Monday afternoon:

“I am receiving frequent updates on the situation in Farmington as it evolves. I am grateful to law enforcement for their quick response and that there does not appear to be any ongoing threat to public safety. I have directed the state to provide whatever support the city and county need as they conduct a thorough investigation and as the community begins to heal.

"I am praying for the families of the victims, the wounded and the entire community of Farmington following this horrific tragedy.

Schools, hospital went into lockdown

The Farmington Municipal School District, which operates two schools in the neighborhood, McKinley Elementary School at 1201 N. Butler Ave., and Apache Elementary School at 700 W. Apache St., put all of its schools on a lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

The institutions were ordered to go into a preventative lockdown at 11:15 a.m. while McKinley and Apache, as well as the district’s Central Kitchen and CATE Center, were ordered into an emergency lockdown. The preventative lockdown at other district schools was lifted 25 minutes later, but McKinley, Apache, the Central Kitchen and the CATE Center remained in an emergency lockdown until 12:40 p.m., at which point they went into a preventative lockdown. That lockdown was lifted at 1:05 p.m., and students were released for the day.

Roberto Taboada, the district’s public information officer, said parents and staff members were alerted to the developments by calls and texts throughout the day, and messages were posted on the district’s social media accounts and website. Parents later were emailed a letter from the district assuring them the incident had not affected the schools directly and that school officials were in contact with Farmington Police Department officials throughout the day.

Taboada said the district would be sending support staff members to Apache and McKinley on Tuesday, May 16 so that anyone who was having difficulty coping with the incident would have the chance to speak with a mental health professional.

Officials at the San Juan Regional Medical Center, where the shooting victims were taken for treatment, also locked down the hospital and established an incident command center in the aftermath of the shooting.

Mike Easterling can be reached at 505-564-4610 ormeasterling@daily-times.com.

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This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: New Mexico police kill shooter in Farmington; 3 dead, 2 officers hurt