Authorities in New Mexico on Tuesday identified the perpetrator of the mass shooting on Monday, where three people were killed and six others were injured in the city of Farmington.
The 18-year-old was identified as Beau Wilson, who was killed by police after the incident, authorities said, adding that he was a high school student.
Farmington Police Deputy Chief Kyle Dowdy said Wilson had at least three weapons, including an AR-style rifle, that were legally purchased.
“We are still investigating how he came to possess those firearms,” Dowdy said, adding that the gunman, who turned 18 in October, bought one of the guns in November. He later said that police believe the other weapons were the legal property of a family member.
The teen fired indiscriminately at houses and cars, and there were no specific targets or motives, Dowdy added, adding that investigators did not see a link between the shooter and the victims, but he was staying at a residence in the neighborhood.
Wilson only had “minor violations” while he was a minor, so he wasn’t on authorities’ radar, Dowdy said.
In an interview by investigators with the shooter’s family, they admitted there were concerns about the shooter’s mental health, but they don’t know if Wilson has been diagnosed with any problems.
Regarding the fatalities, it was known that they were elderly women who were traveling in cars, the authorities added.
Likewise, the victims were identified as Shirley Volta, 79 years old; Melody Ivie, 73; and Gwendolyn Schofield, 98, of whom two were mother and daughter.
Among those hospitalized after the shooting were New Mexico State Police Officer Andreas Stamatiadas and Farmington Police Sergeant Raquel Discenza, who were treated and later released.
Keep reading:
– 12-year-old Texas boy fatally shot fast food clerk with AR-15, charged with manslaughter
– Two 14-year-old students were arrested for threatening to shoot at a Florida school
– Families of NY mass shooting victims sue social media