New Mexico Library Shooting Kills 2, Injures Several: What You Should Know

UPDATE: 3.35 a.m. EDT — Police in Clovis, New Mexico, confirmed six people were shot in the public library on Monday. The two women who died in the incident were library employees. Among the injured were two men and two women. No police officers were hurt during the encounter. The suspect and the victims have not been named yet.

Original Story

At least two people were killed and six were left injured after a gunman opened fire Monday inside a public library in Clovis, New Mexico, police said.

Police in New Mexico confirmed Monday night the deceased were two women, who died during the shootout at Clovis-Carver Public library in Clovis, a small town near the Texas border.

The people, who were injured, were being treated at a hospital across the state line in Lubbock, Texas, Clovis City Manager Tom Phelps said. He also mentioned he was not exactly aware of the extent of injuries caused, CBS News reported.

The suspected male shooter was taken into custody and was being questioned, Phelps told BuzzFeed News. Videos of the suspect being taken into custody emerged on social media soon after the incident. However, the motive for the shooting is still unclear.

City officials conducted a briefing about the incident on Monday evening. "We still don't know all the details," City Commissioner Juan Garza said during the briefing. "What we've been telling people is to keep on praying for the families affected by this tragedy."

Garza also said the investigation was under way and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives announced it was responding and supporting local police to help them to counter the incident, according to Fox News.

Attorney General Hector Balderas, the state's top prosecutor, told CBS News that his office contacted the district attorney to offer help for relief efforts. "New Mexico's thoughts and prayers tonight are with the victims, their families and the first responders on the ground," Balderas said in a statement.

Sen. Tom Udall (D-New Mexico), also issued a statement asking people to pray for the victims and their families involved in the shooting. "I'm heartbroken by the horrific events in Clovis tonight. Please join Jill and me in keeping Clovis in your thoughts and prayers," Udall said in a statement.

Vanessa Aguirre, who was present in the library with her son, told the Eastern New Mexico News that she saw "a man come in" and "started to shoot" into the air. "It all happened so fast," she said. "We took off fast. My purse is still in there." Aguirre also mentioned she thought the gunman had a handgun.

Sojung Her, a 26-year-old cashier at the Shogun Japanese Steakhouse situated within the view of the library lawn, said the shooting on Monday left behind a sense of fear and vulnerability among the residents in Clovis. "It's kind of a freak thing," she told CBS News. "What if he just walked into our restaurant and started shooting."

Sojung said when she arrived to work at the nearby restaurant late Monday afternoon, she saw police cars lined up on streets. "This kind of thing never happens here," she said.

Clovis, which has an estimated population of about 40,000 people, is situated approximately 200 miles east of Albuquerque, which is near the Texas state line. It is known for harboring the Cannon Air Force Base and its nearby community of Portales is home to Eastern New Mexico University.