According to NBC News, an 18-year-old named Beau Wilson from New Mexico, who is accused of fatally shooting three elderly women at random, reportedly faced emotional difficulties after being forced to leave his high school’s wrestling team. The Farmington Deputy Police Chief, Baric Crum, has stated that investigators do not believe Wilson had any prior connection to the victims.
The tragic incident ended with Wilson being shot by responding officers on Monday after he gunned down Shirley Voita, aged 79, Melody Ivie, aged 73, and Gwendolyn Schofield, aged 97, all of whom were in their cars. As of now, officials have not disclosed the motive behind the shooting.
In an interview with NBC News, Wilson’s mother, Lorry Rodriguez, revealed that her son struggled emotionally following his departure from the varsity wrestling team. She mentioned that Wilson relied on the team to give him a sense of purpose while he was dealing with his parents’ divorce and falling behind in his classes.
“His life revolved around wrestling practice, and when that was taken away, he felt lost,” Rodriguez shared with the outlet. “He no longer had anything to strive for. That was all he knew.”
Daxton Allison, one of Wilson’s former teammates, informed NBC News that Wilson’s exit from the team was the result of a strained relationship with his head wrestling coach, Brent Stover. Stover recently resigned from his position.
Wilson, a senior at Farmington High School, met a tragic end on Monday, with graduation taking place the following evening.
Rodriguez blames herself for failing to predict the violence, admitting that she was aware her son had purchased a firearm but had no concerns about it. “How did I not know? I ask myself that,” Rodriguez lamented.
The New Mexico officials released body camera footage on Thursday, revealing the moments when the police officers responded to the incident. The footage captured one of the officers falling to the ground after being shot, while other officers rushed to provide medical aid. Additionally, a photo of a note found on Wilson’s body was released, along with the information that he had stockpiled a significant amount of weapons and ammunition at his father’s house. Approximately 1,400 rounds of ammunition and ten other firearms of different calibers were discovered by law enforcement throughout the residence.
It should be noted that the weapons, though accessible to Wilson, did not belong to him. Furthermore, the police disclosed that Wilson had initially been wearing a bulletproof vest when he began firing from his home but deliberately removed it before encountering the officers as he walked towards a church in the neighborhood.
Witnesses and police confirm that Wilson walked through the Farmington neighborhood, randomly firing bullets until law enforcement arrived at the scene. Farmington Deputy Police Chief Baric Crum previously stated that investigators do not believe Wilson had any prior knowledge of the victims. The police officers injured during the incident have since been discharged from local hospitals.
