The Latest: Police: 2 women victims in library shooting

CLOVIS, N.M. — The Latest on the shooting a public library in Clovis, New Mexico (all times local):

8:30 p.m.

Authorities say two women were killed in a shooting inside a public library in the eastern New Mexico community of Clovis.

City officials and law enforcement officers held a news conference late Monday to provide details about the violence that erupted inside the downtown building around 4 p.m. They say the four people who were injured include two men and two women. Their conditions were not immediately known.

The gunman is in custody, but Police Chief Doug Ford said investigators have not yet determined what prompted the shooting. No charges have been filed yet, but the chief said warrants were being prepared.

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The names of the gunman and the victims were not immediately released.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford called the shooting tragic and senseless. He said it is big blow to the community and that Clovis is hurting. He asked for prayers for the victims.

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7 p.m.

The city manager tells a newspaper that two people were killed and four people were injured in a shooting inside a New Mexico public library.

Clovis police and elected officials also says that the shooter was taken into custody and was being questioned Monday.

City Manager Tom Phelps told The Eastern New Mexico News on Monday evening that three of the injured were taken to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas. Clovis, a city of about 40,000, is about 200 miles east of Albuquerque, near the Texas state line.

Authorities did not immediately release the names of the two people who were killed.

Officials planned to release more information at a news conference Monday night at City Hall.

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6:35 p.m.

A city official says police have taken a person into custody who they believe is responsible for a shooting at a public library in eastern New Mexico

Clovis City Commissioner Garza said the investigation is ongoing and he could not say whether there were any fatalities or how many people were injured. One woman could be seen being helped into an ambulance and police radio traffic indicated one victim was being transported to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas.

Clovis is about 200 miles east of Albuquerque, near the Texas state line. The library is in the downtown area of the city.

Garza said there’s no indication of a motive for the shooting. He called it a tragedy, saying he and other city officials are asking people to pray for the families that have been affected. He said the city will offer whatever support it can as the community looks to recover.

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5:43 p.m.

Police officers swarmed a public library in downtown Clovis on Monday after getting reports of a shooting inside.

New Mexico State Police Officer Carl Christiansen could not immediately say whether there were any fatalities or injuries but said officers with the Clovis Police Department responded around 4 p.m. to reports of an active shooter inside the downtown building.

City officials were expected to hold a briefing Monday evening.

The Eastern New Mexico News reported that ambulances were dispatched to the scene and at least one victim was taken to Clovis Municipal Airport for transport to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas.

Clovis is about 200 miles east of Albuquerque, near the Texas state line. It’s home to Cannon Air Force Base and the nearby community of Portales is home to Eastern New Mexico University.

Vanessa Aguirre told the newspaper that she was in the library with her son when a man came 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.”

Kim Tipton, who was in a building across the street from the library, saw multiple police units arrive a few minutes after 4 p.m. and they had their rifles drawn.

The Associated Press