LOS ANGELES – An 18-year-old gunman killed three people and injured several others, including two police officers, during a shooting in New Mexico state on Monday, local law enforcement said.

Officers responding to multiple emergency calls found “a chaotic scene where a male subject was actively firing upon individuals”, local police deputy chief Baric Crum said during a press conference.

Four officers confronted the subject and “were able to stop his actions”, Mr Crum said.

“The suspect is deceased, but prior to that, we know that three civilians were killed by this person’s actions.”

The shooting took place in Farmington, a town of 50,000 people located some 320km from state capital Santa Fe, and close to Navajo and Ute Native American reservations.

Nine people were wounded, said Mr Crum.

Further details of exactly where and how the shooting unfolded were not immediately provided. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

The two police officers shot during the incident are being treated at a hospital and were described as being in stable condition.

Local schools briefly locked down as a preventive measure, but were cleared to reopen early on Monday afternoon, with Farmington Municipal Schools saying that “all students and staff are safe”.

At least 225 mass shootings have occurred in the United States since the start of 2023, according to non-governmental organisation Gun Violence Archive. AFP