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Susana Martinez, New Mexico governor, says ‘coward’ set off 2 church blasts

They did some damage to each building.

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An interfaith vigil took place at Pioneer Park in Las Cruces Sunday evening in support of the churches that were victims of the explosions.

“These attacks should be an eye opener that yes Satan is very much alive in Las Cruces”, a San Albino official wrote on its Facebook page Sunday morning.

The small blasts just 20 minutes and a few miles apart shocked congregants Sunday morning at the churches in southern New Mexico.

As people gathered for Sunday service at nearby churches in the U.S. state of New Mexico, two bombs went off within 20 minutes of each other.

Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, are investigating the explosions. He told the newspaper he and Mike Stewart kept worshipers from going inside the church until police arrived.

Unshaken in faith, the congregation of Calvary Baptist in Las Cruces headed to the parking lot, set up folding chairs and listened as the pastor drew from the story of David and Goliath.

Susana Martinez promised his people that the culprit who is responsible for explosions outside two Las Cruces churches will be caught.

Each building sustained minor damages and there were no deaths or injuries as a result of the bomb detonations, according to the Las Cruses Police Department.

No arrests have been made.

Church members are doing well, Rodgers told Baptist Press, and a licensed professional counselor within the congregation has made himself available if needed. “But because it was the consecration part of the Mass, everybody was kneeling down and facing toward the altar”, he said. “It provided a great deal of comfort”.

Rodgers estimated combined Sunday morning attendance at Calvary Baptist is normally about 400.

The explosion damaged the trash container and glass entryway. A trash bin outside the church exploded during the Communion service. “I mean, I knew it had to be more than a gunshot”, Anderson told the Las Cruces Sun-News newspaper.

“I’m just thankful to God nobody was standing by the door, because there’s usually always somebody standing there”.

Authorities are working to determine what materials were used and whether the blasts were related.

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The diocese will immediately conduct an inventory of its churches’ safety practices and then help them identify additional steps that need to implemented, said McNeill.

Explosive devices set off outside two Las Cruces churches