New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made a surprise visit to Farmington Wednesday to speak at the annual Law Enforcement Memorial service, which included a community healing portion recognizing the families of those lost in Monday’s mass shooting.
“These losses will hurt here more than anywhere, but they are felt everywhere, and there isn’t a New Mexican who isn’t today and yesterday and on Monday grieving and trying to understand and trying to cope with what they might do that would be helpful to you – their fellow New Mexicans that they care about that they love, that they respect,” Lujan Grisham said. “In fact, that’s how the whole nation feels for any tragedy.”
Three Farmington women: Melody Ivie, 73, Gwendolyn Schofield, 97, and Shirley Voita, 79, were struck and killed by bullets fired from the gun of Beau Wilson, 18, who also shot homes and vehicles along North Dustin Avenue discharging more that 167 rounds from three different firearms.
Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe recognized that neighbors along the street came outside during the incident to help police officers who arrived on scene minutes later. They were “keeping our community safe together,” he said.
Police engaged Wilson not long after the incident started, he said, briefly describing a video of the incident, which was released to the public Thursday.
“The officers do just a fantastic job of engaging and stopping the threat as fast as they can – too late frankly – three citizens are dead several others are injured, but they do the best that they can as fast as they can to change it,” Hebbe said.
During a shootout between Wilson and police, Farmington Police Sgt. Rachel Discenza was hit with a bullet in her pelvic region. She is recovering from her wounds, as is New Mexico State Police Officer Andreas Statmatiadas, who was driving by the scene and was shot in his vehicle.
“I’m so sorry to the community. I’m sorry the family. I’m sorry to all of us that we’re going through this,” Hebbe said. “I’m proud of our officers that did their level best, but I’m extremely heartbroken over what happened that day.”
The chief said this will leave a mark on everyone in the community, but as a whole we should go on in honor of those who lost their lives that day. “We will get through this. There will be other days – but Monday mattered, and these people mattered,” Hebbe said.
The memorial ended with the families of fallen officers, and families of those killed in the mass shooting coming to the front to receive a rose honoring their lost loved ones.
There also were members of the New Mexico Health Departments’ Medical Reserve Corp’s Integrated Wellness team offering mental health services, chaplains, acupuncture and therapy dogs, after the service.
