Farmington police have confirmed the identity of the man who is suspected of fatally shooting two people early Monday in what police believe was a case of domestic violence.
Andrew Whittenberg, 35, of Farmington, faces “two counts of homicide and other crimes related to the incident, according to Farmington Police Spokeswoman Shanice Gonzales.
Police initially were called to a report of breaking and entering at 5:12 a.m. in the 4900 block of Kayenta Drive. While officers were en route, gunfire broke out at a home in the 2900 block of English Road, where officers later discovered a woman’s body, according to a news release from the Farmington Police Department.
Not long after the first shooting, there was a second shooting in the 3600 block of East Main Street, where officers found a dead man.
Whittenburg was taken into custody without incident by police in the 3800 block of East Main Street.
“Preliminary investigations suggest that the initial shooting was related to a domestic violence incident, while the subsequent shooting occurred as the suspect attempted to flee the area,” said Gonzales.
At the scene, a Tri-City Record interview with Rafael Johnson, who was picking up his grandson about 10 a.m. at a residence at Best Street and Herrera Road, was stopped by a police officer, who said an active shooter investigation was ongoing.
Grant Allred, general manager of Webb Toyota said that when he arrived at 8 a.m. to work, he saw one Farmington Police Department vehicle in the west parking lot.
“I interacted with him, and just asked if it was safe to be here. And he said the area was now secure and good and so I moved on," Allred said, adding that he told employees about the incident.
“I notified them to stand down until we knew for sure that it was safe. Once the area was safe, we told everybody to come in," he said.
The names of deceased were being withheld by police pending notification of the next of kin.
The investigation is ongoing, according to Gonzales.
Police activity remains in the area of Kentucky Fried Chicken and Webb Toyota on East Main Street, as well as in the area of English Road and Largo Street. Police asked people to avoid those areas.
Farmington Municipal Schools announced that students at Mesa Verde Elementary, Heights Middle School and Piedra Vista High School were impacted by police presence in their neighborhood, and “as buses will not be running and students assigned” to bus routes 33, 41, 42 and 48 “should stay home today.
This article was updated at 9:24 a.m. to include comments from Farmington Municipal Schools. This article was updated at 11 a.m. to include new information from Farmington Police. This article was updated at 2:36 p.m. to include the identity of the alleged shooter.
