What started as a celebration of a local New Mexico decision not to erect a controversial statue took a chaotic turn when a man opened fire on the gathering.
Around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, outside the Rio Arriba County building in Española, New Mexico, people had gathered to commemorate the postponement of plans to put up a statue of conquistador Juan de Oñate. Oñate played a significant role in the Spanish establishment of New Mexico in the late 1500s but faced criticism for alleged involvement in the massacre of Native Americans.
Previously, two Oñate statues, one in Albuquerque and another in Alcalde, were removed amid the racial reckoning following George Floyd's murder in police custody in 2020. The proposal to place the Alcalde statue in front of the Rio Arriba County building was postponed after a commissioner vote.
Demonstrators had assembled outside the county building to celebrate this decision.
Among them were activists displaying banners like "Do Not! Resurrect Oñate." A prayer ceremony was underway when a scuffle broke out, involving several men and one wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat, identified as 23-year-old Ryan Martinez by New Mexico State Police.
During the scuffle, Martinez broke free, climbed over a half-wall, retrieved a handgun from his waistband, and fired a shot, striking Native American activist Jacob Johns in the torso. Onlookers reacted with shock and fled the scene.
Martinez drove away but was apprehended shortly afterward. He now faces charges of first-degree attempted murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. NMSP released a photo of Martinez wearing his MAGA hat with the word "arrested" over his head.
The victim was airlifted to an Albuquerque hospital, with reports suggesting he was in stable condition. A photographer from the Albuquerque Journal captured the moment when Martinez raised his handgun.
Rio Arriba County Sheriff Billy Merrifield, in a press conference following the shooting, mentioned that he had advised commissioners to delay the statue's installation due to safety concerns, which sadly materialized on that day.
Eyewitness Raymond Naranjo recounted that Jacobs was leading a prayer when the shooting occurred, describing the rapid and unsettling events.
This incident is not the first time controversy surrounding an Oñate statue has resulted in violence. In 2020, a statue defender shot a protester in Albuquerque before the statue was removed.
Meanwhile, in North Carolina, a 52-year-old woman is set to spend the next two decades behind bars, having confessed to the killing of a former colleague following a minor workplace dispute and then evading capture for six months. See detailed story here.
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