Early Monday morning, a gunman senselessly shot and killed three people and wounded six others, including two law enforcement officers, on a devastating rampage in Farmington, New Mexico.
The unnamed 18-year-old assailant used an AR-15-style rifle and two other guns as he careened through a quarter-mile area of residential streets, randomly shooting into houses and cars.
The horrifying episode shows no evidence of any single target or location being specifically targeted; authorities continue to search for a motive in the tragedy, interviewing the suspect’s family and examining evidence at the scene of the crime.
San Juan Regional Medical Center received seven patients from the shooting. One of the New Mexico State Police officers who had been shot in the attack is still hospitalized, while the Farmington Police officer who was shot has already been released.
Reaching out with comfort and support, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham offered her prayers to the victims and their families and directed state agencies to give investigative aid to local officials.
Farmington’s population of about 46,400, located near the Arizona-Colorado border, also received compassion and support from the White House, Washington officials, the Navajo Nation, and mayors across the state. Mayor Nate Duckett expressed the importance of the community banding together to face this tragedy, promoting solidarity and comfort.