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Deming residents near the 900 block of S. Silver Street were awakened Monday morning by a loud boom that shook windows, rattled pets and was followed by a cloud of smoke.
Deming police confirmed that a bomb detonated at about 7:30 a.m. at the New Mexico Probation and Corrections Building, located at 920 S. Silver St. The explosion was loud enough to have been heard off of Santa Catalina Street on Deming’s east side, and as far east as Pear Street.
Deming interim Police Chief Pepe Montoya said a call came in just before 8 a.m. reporting an explosion in the 900 block of S. Silver.
“Officers were dispatched to the probation ad corrections building, and they found that a bomb had indeed gone off,” Montoya told the Headlight.
No injuries were reported as a result of the blast.
Deming police and New Mexico State Police set up a safety perimeter and blocked off all traffic in the area. Curious motorists were detoured away while the investigation was underway Monday morning.
All county offices were closed for the day as a safety measure, as were district court facilities in Deming and Lordsburg. Montoya said State Police took over the lead on this investigation when reports surfaced of suspicious packages being found in Las Cruces and Albuquerque.
During the NMSP preliminary investigation, video surveillance showed a vehicle in the vicinity before the bomb exploded. A vehicle fitting that description was spotted in Deming midday Monday by State Police, and they initiated a traffic stop.
The Ford pickup truck failed to stop, and a pursuit ensued at Hermanas and Doña Ana roads. State police brought the pursuit to a halt near Exit 82-A off of Interstate 10, near the Chevron station.
State Police took a female suspect — the driver of the pickup — into custody, but the woman’s name was not yet released mid-afternoon Monday.
Montoya said it is unknown whether the explosion was related to any other suspicious packages in the state, or if this was an isolated incident.
“This was a prime example of agencies working together,” Montoya said. “New Mexico State Police, [Homeland Security Investigations], Luna County Sheriff’s Office and our Deming PD all did a great job of working on this.”
State police are continuing the investigation.
