Two dead, four hurt in US library shooting

Two women have been killed and four other people injured in a shooting at a library in the US state of New Mexico.

A young man has been arrested following the shooting, the fire chief in the town of Clovis said.

The youth surrendered to police when they arrived at the library.

"It all happened so fast," witness Vanessa Aguirre told the Eastern New Mexico News.

"We took off fast. My purse is still in there."

Three victims have been airlifted to hospital in Lubbock, Texas, with two of them in a critical condition.

Two of those injured were women, while the other two were men, authorities said. Police chief Douglas Ford would not reveal their ages or names.

The shooting happened about 4pm local time.

Locals in the town said the gunman was a high school sophomore (Year 10) who had just been suspended for fighting.

"This is a big blow to our community," Mayor David Lansford said.

"Two individuals have lost their lives. Their families will not see them come home."

Clovis is an isolated town of 40,000, east of Albuquerque, the biggest city in the predominantly desert state.