TAOS, N.M. — A Nusenda Credit Union branch was evacuated Monday after receiving separate bomb and shooting threats, prompting nearby schools to shelter in place and a significant law enforcement response, according to the Taos News.
The credit union branch, located at 640 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, was evacuated Monday morning as Taos police investigated the threats.
Taos Police Chief Ron Montez Jr. told the Taos News at the scene around noon that investigators had found no evidence indicating there was a genuine threat to the public.
Montez said the shelter-in-place order at nearby Taos High School and the Taos Integrated School for the Arts was issued out of “an abundance of caution.” He said officers were taking precautions to protect students, the public and first responders.
Suspect Identified
Montez indicated police had identified a suspect in connection with the threats. He said investigators were awaiting one or more warrants before conducting searches, including a warrant involving a phone.
Students and staff at the nearby schools remained under shelter-in-place precautions while police investigated. Taos High School later transitioned to a “modified shelter in place for the afternoon,” according to a 2:20 p.m. message from Principal Emy Martinez-DeHerrera cited by the Taos News.
Police cordoned off the credit union, while first responders redirected traffic away from the Albertsons parking lot across La Posta Road. Businesses in the nearby Cruz Alta Shopping Center were closed, and Taos County Sheriff’s Office personnel deployed a drone over the area, Taos News reported.
The response also resulted in a tense encounter involving maintenance workers at the shopping center.
Police Armed With Rifles
At about 11:30 a.m., two Taos police officers armed with rifles climbed onto the roof of the Harbor Freight store after two men were spotted there. Police subsequently determined the men were maintenance workers and were not involved in the threats against the credit union, the Taos News reported.
