Threats rock town

Clovis businesses receive bomb, shooting threats.

Police say more than 30 bomb threats and threats of other shootings were called into businesses in Clovis Wednesday night as the city was still reeling from a shooting at a public library earlier in the week.

Carl Christiansen, a spokesman for New Mexico State Police, said none of the threats turned out to be credible, but State Police assisted local agencies in investigating each one.

“They take each threat seriously,” Christiansen said. “Depending on if the business is open or closed, then either we evacuate the facility or do a rough check. The number one thing is public safety.”

He said they hadn’t identified any suspects and he doesn’t know if the businesses were targeted specifically or randomly. Christiansen said police don’t have any indication that the threats were related to 16-yearold Nathaniel Jouett, who is accused of shooting six people, killing two, at the Clovis-Carver Public Library Monday.

However, at least some of the threats referenced Jouett, according to a post on The Eastern New Mexico News’ Facebook page. The newspaper received back-to-back threats.

The newspaper quoted an employee who talked to the caller and said his voice sounded altered.

“He said, ‘Today is just the beginning and we’re going to shoot people tomorrow,’” said copy editor Jenna Zamie, who took one of the calls. “He talked about his friend Nathaniel isn’t the only one and that he’s got tons more and the bomb threats and shootings were just the beginning.”

By 9:30 p.m., Christiansen said the threats were no longer being reported.