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Three people, including two officers, were killed and 10 wounded after a suspect opened fire and was later shot dead by officers in Farmington, New Mexico, police said Monday.
Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in a video message Monday night that the suspect, identified by police, was 18 years old and had fired at least three weapons, including an AR-style rifle. The motive is under investigation, but the police chief said the shooting appeared to be random. Hebbe said the suspect did not target schools, churches or individuals.
An unidentified 18-year-old suspect opened fire near Dustin Avenue and Ute Street at 10:57 a.m., according to Farmington Police Department.
Farmington Police Deputy Chief Barrick Crumb told reporters earlier Monday that officers arrived and found a “disorganized scene” with the suspect firing into the neighborhood.
Hebbe said the suspect “roamed” the neighborhood for up to a quarter mile and fired indiscriminately “at whatever came to mind”, killing at least six homes and three cars.
Crum said four police officers engaged in a shootout with the suspect, who died.
Two injured officers, one from the Farmington Police Department and one from the New Mexico State Police Department, were taken to the San Juan Regional Medical Center and are in stable condition, police said.
Farmington police officers were treated and released. Hebbe said the police officer is still in the hospital and is in good condition.
Crumb said an investigation is ongoing.
“We are actively investigating several blocks of this crime scene to try to figure out exactly what happened,” the deputy chief said.
The Farmington Police Department, the New Mexico State Police, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives rushed to the scene and are still investigating.
The Farmington City School District issued a warning on its Facebook page that Apache and McKinley Elementary Schools, Central Kitchen and the CATE Center will be closed until further notice. Officials said all children and staff were safe.
The school district was scheduled to lift the lockdown at 1:05 p.m. local time and release the students.
Farmington is located in northern New Mexico, about 25 miles south of the Colorado border.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham tweeted She said she was monitoring the situation and offered her condolences to the victims.
“My administration will not stop fighting the gun violence epidemic from all angles,” she wrote.
Marilyn Heck of ABC News contributed to this report.
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