Lockdown suspect threatened 'mass shooting' at courthouse complex

The Taos County Sheriff's Department has released details on the suspect that caused a lockdown at the Taos County Administrative Judicial Complex Jan. 27.

Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe confirmed that Taos resident Wesley D. Winsor, 31, was taken into custody by members of the sheriff's Special Response Team (SRT) around 12:23 p.m. at a residence located on Lower Las Colonias Road.

Hogrefe told The Taos News that Winsor called in a threat of a "mass shooting" at the courthouse complex located at 105 Albright St. The threat caused the lockdown and a law enforcement response that included sheriff's deputies, the Taos Police Department and New Mexico State Police. 

After a team of five SRT officers searched Winsor's home and a relative's residence and came up empty-handed, they discovered a green Toyota pickup belonging to Winsor parked in a residence on Lower Las Colonias, where the suspect was arrested without incident.

"My SRT team made the arrest," Hogrefe said. "The suspect was not armed."

Winsor is currently being held at the Taos County Adult Detention Center.

According to authorities, Winsor has "an extensive criminal history" and was facing trial pending a mental health evaluation Jan. 27 at Tri-County Community Services.

Winsor failed appear for his scheduled evaluation, but instead informed Tri-County staff in a phone call that he intended to go to the courthouse complex Friday morning to "shoot everyone" and then kill himself.

Tri-County then notified law enforcement of the threat.

"Based on the perceived threat, we immediately put the entire complex on lockdown," Hogrefe told The Taos News. He added that the lockdown included the Taos County Adult Detention Center and all administrative offices, in addition to the courts.

Sources from inside the complex reported that signs notifying them to shelter-in-place were quickly placed in visible areas around the buildings.

After members of the sheriff's department created a perimeter around the complex, state police entered and secured the area, Hogrefe said.

Hogrefe believes that, among his charges, Winsor will face a charge for disruption of government business, a felony.