Farmington mass shooting victims include a mother and daughter; police ID gunman
A mother and daughter were among the victims killed Monday by an 18-year-old gunman indiscriminately shooting into people's cars and houses in Farmington, New Mexico, officials said at a news conference on Tuesday. Three people were killed and two police officers were wounded before the gunman was killed, officials said.
The three victims who died were all elderly women ranging in age from their 70s to over 90. They were identified as Gwendolyn Schofield, 97; her daughter Melody Ivie, 73; and Shirley Voita, 79.
Police said all three were driving through the neighborhood when they were shot. Two individuals died on the scene and one died from her injuries later at San Juan Regional Medical Center.
At Tuesday's briefing, police identified the shooter as a Farmington High School student, Beau Wilson. Investigators said there is no known motive or target for the shooting. The suspect had multiple addresses listed and was staying at a home in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred, police said.
The gunman fired at least three different weapons, including what police called an "AR-style rifle," starting at 10:56 a.m. near Ute and North Dustin Streets, said Deputy Chief Kyle Dowdy of the Farmington Police Department at the news conference. Almost immediately, police received reports of an active shooter in the area. By 11:02 a.m., officers responded and by 11:06 a.m. the shooter was dead, Dowdy said.
Asked by a reporter how many rounds had been fired, Dowdy said police have found approximately 150 so far throughout the "nearly quarter-mile crime scene." He said it wasn't clear how many were fired by the gunman or by police.
The shooter purchased one of the firearms legally in November 2022, one month after he turned 18 years old, police said. It wasn't yet known how he obtained the other firearms, but police said they believe it was through family members.
Wilson had minor criminal infractions as a juvenile but not anything that "would rise on our radar," said Dowdy. In an interview, family members told police that he was struggling with mental health issues, but Dowdy cautioned that it was early in the investigation and the complete picture wasn't yet known.
Two officers, Rachel Discenza from the Farmington Police Department and Andreas Stamatiadas from New Mexico State Police were shot and listed in stable condition at a hospital, Farmington police said in a statement Monday afternoon. Discenza had been released from the hospital by Monday night, police said.
Reporting contributed by Alex Sundby and Jordan Freiman. The Associated Press also contributed reporting.