— Medical Helicopter on Standby
CLOVIS, N.M. — A shooting inside a public library that killed two people and wounded four has shaken a small eastern New Mexico community to its core.
A lone male suspect is in custody, police said, but his motive remains unclear.
Police Chief Douglas Ford said two females were killed, and two males and two females were injured. The injured were transported to a hospital across the state line in Lubbock, Tex., Reuters reported.
The gunman surrendered after the shooting Monday and was taken into custody without incident after police entered the Clovis-Carver Public Library, authorities and elected officials with the city of Clovis said during a news conference. Warrants for his arrest were being prepared, but it’s wasn’t immediately clear what charges he would face.
Clovis Mayor David Lansford said things could have been much worse had it not been for the quick response, training and courage of police.
He called the shooting tragic and senseless.
“This is a big blow to our community,” he said. “Our community is a community that places a high value on life and the sanctity of life. And each life that lives in this community is precious. So we’re all hurting right now as a result of what took place this afternoon.”
Clovis, a city of about 40,000, is about 200 miles east of Albuquerque, near the Texas state line. The area is home to Cannon Air Force Base. The nearby community of Portales is home to Eastern New Mexico University.
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