(Photo : Roberto E. Rosales/Getty Images)
A note found on the New Mexico shooting suspect's body indicated he knew his actions would result in his death.
Authorities in New Mexico said that the teenager who fatally shot three elderly women used three weapons, including an AR-15, before being apprehended in front of a church.
Captain Kevin Burns of the San Juan County Sheriff's Office stated that 18-year-old Beau Wilson opened fire from his own residence before leaving and proceeded to shoot indiscriminately beginning at 11 a.m. on Monday, striking seven houses and 11 vehicles.
Police Find Note on Farmington, New Mexico Shooting Suspect's Body
Burns stated that investigators have recovered at least 176 cartridges, 141 of which were discharged from Wilson's residence. Police killed the suspect after he fired 18 bullets at officers in front of the First Church of Christ, Scientist at 707 N. Dustin Ave.
In addition to the three weapons Wilson used, ten additional firearms were found in his home, according to investigators. According to Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe, between the cartridges he discharged and the ammunition found in the residence, there were over 1,400 rounds.
Hebbe reported that authorities discovered a brief, handwritten note in the shooter's pocket and are attempting to "fit together" the note's meaning as part of their investigation into the shooter's motivation. Monday's violence occurred approximately twenty-four hours prior to his companions' graduation from Farmington High School.
Wednesday, Wilson's family acknowledged the community's suffering in a lengthy statement. Investigators were unable to identify a clear motive for Wilson's actions, but family members were concerned about his mental health. Wilson's loved ones asserted they knew him as a compassionate individual, not as the gun-wielding murderer he revealed himself to be on Monday, as per NBC News.
The suspect killed 98-year-old Gwendolyn Schofield, her 73-year-old daughter Melody Ivie, and 79-year-old Shirley Voita. Six others, including two police officers, were wounded in what has become one of 226 mass shootings - with four or more victims shot - in the United States this year.
Per CNN, seven additional individuals sustained injuries that were treated at the scene. Investigators continue their efforts to determine the motive for yet another gun-related homicide in the United States.
Hebbe told reporters on Wednesday that it appears mental health issues played a role in the shootings. "The suspect took the last two (guns) with him as he began strolling through the neighborhood, aiming at other vehicles and residences," the chief said.
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New Mexico Residents Mourn for Shooting Victims
Per NewsWest9, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said she was praying for the victims' families and that the incident "serves as a daily reminder of how gun violence damages lives in our state and country." The shooting, according to Mayor Nate Duckett's statement, "has left us staggering in grief and disbelief."
On Monday evening, just a few miles from the attack site, scores of individuals congregated at Hills Church to pray around a tall metal cross. Some listened while holding each other in their arms. Included in the gathering were the mayor and law enforcement officers.
Officers initially believed there was a second suspect, and schools were closed down "because we did not know where other suspects could be," the chief stated. He stated that it now appears that the 18-year-old acted alone.
Hebbe stated that he was "unbelievably proud" of the officers' response, given the threat posed by the suspect's movement and the tumultuous environment. At least nine calls were made to dispatch, "spreading the information about where the suspect was all over the place," he said.
The response included the Sheriff's Office, the Farmington Police Department, and the state police. The ATF tweeted that agents from Phoenix were on their way to Farmington to assist with the investigation.
In recent years, cafes and distilleries have sprung up in downtown Farmington alongside businesses that have been in operation for decades and sell Native American handicrafts such as silver jewelry and wool weavings.
Last month, Farmington police shot and killed a man at his front door while responding to a domestic violence call at the incorrect address.
Related Article: New Mexico Shooting: 18-Year-Old Teen Randomly Shot Cars, Houses, Killing 3, Injuring 9
