Police: Shooter, 2 Students Dead In Shooting At New Mexico High School

Authorities say three people are dead including the shooter following a shooting at a New Mexico high school. San Juan County Sheriff Ken Christesen told reporters that three people believed to be students died Thursday at Aztec High School.

New Mexico Police said via Twitter the shooter was among the the deceased.

The victims' families were notified "immediately," state police said.

There were no other injuries reported, state police said.

It wasn't immediately clear if the shooting happened inside the school or who was suspected of firing the shots.

San Juan County Sheriff's Lt. Kyle Lincoln told CBS affiliate KRQE that law enforcement are clearing the building and searching the school.

The New Mexico State Police were taking over the investigation. Federal authorities were also investigating what led to the shooting.
Other schools in the area also were locked down as a precaution. Authorities say it could be a few hours before the lockdowns are lifted.

A crowd of nervous parents gathered at Aztec City Hall to wait for more information as officers tried to reassure them about the safety of their children.

Aztec is a rural community of 6,500 people in the heart of northwestern New Mexico's oil and gas country and near the Navajo Nation. Its main street is lined by old brick buildings that date back more than a century.

Michael Padilla, a former Aztec school board member, told KRQE the violence is unheard of in their small community.

"Tragically the horrors that visited many other communities have come to roost here in Aztec," Padilla said. 

Padilla called the scene "chaotic" and said there was a massive law enforcement presence.

Residents voiced disbelief on social media, while members of the New Mexico congressional delegation, state Attorney General Hector Balderas and other elected officials offered their condolences and other assistance.

"While details are still coming in, we grieve for the innocent victims in this senseless act of violence. Too many lives have been disrupted and too many futures cut short," U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan said in a tweet.