A failed Republican candidate for local office has been charged in connection with a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of Democratic lawmakers in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Summary
A failed Republican candidate for local office has been charged in connection with a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of Democratic lawmakers in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- SWAT officers took Solomon Peña, 39, into custody and charged him with multiple counts of shooting at a home, shooting from a motor vehicle, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, conspiracy, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- According to police, Peña allegedly conspired with four other men to shoot at the homes of two county commissioners and two state lawmakers, all of whom were Democrats.
- Albuquerque police chief Harold Medina called Peña the “mastermind” behind the string of attacks, which took place between December 4 and January 4.
- Peña is accused of both paying others to commit the shootings and of committing at least one of the attacks himself.
- Peña campaigned for a New Mexico state House seat in 2022 only to be defeated in a landslide against the incumbent Democrat, who won 73 percent of the vote.
- After his defeat, Peña announced he would not concede the election and the shooting attacks began weeks later.
- One of Peña’s targets, Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa, said she was “grateful” the suspect had been apprehended and no others would be attacked.
- NBC News reported Democrats who were visited by Peña before the shootings were left fearful by their encounters with the “erratic” failed candidate and some called the police. Peña’s demeanor was described as “aggressive,” “angry” and “unsettling” in those November encounters just weeks before the shootings would commence.
- Incoming New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martinez was also targeted in the attacks. “We have seen far too much political violence lately and all of these events are powerful reminders that stirring up fear, heightening tensions, and stoking hatred can have devastating consequences,” Martinez told CNN in a statement.
- The New York Times reported police “have somebody who is involved inside this conspiracy who is talking to police.” This informant confirmed Peña was at the Jan. 3 shooting, which was the final incident before his arrest.
- The suspect reportedly visited the homes of the Democratic officials he targeted in the weeks prior to the attacks, according to the Washington Examiner. Former county commissioner Debbie O’Malley called Peña’s visit to her “unsettling,” to be followed weeks later by an attack on Dec. 11 when about a dozen shots were fired at her residence.
- Campaign offices of Democratic officials were also targeted in the shooting attacks, per Fox News. Gunfire-detection technology indicated shots were fired at the former campaign office of New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, but no damage was found.
- According to the New York Post, Peña is an ex-con who served seven years in the slammer for theft before getting smacked by Democrat Miguel P. Garcia in November’s election by 5,679 votes to 2,033 votes, or 74% to 26%. Peña was apparently unfazed by the electorate’s overwhelming rejection of him and continued to claim the election was “rigged.”
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© Dominic Moore, 2023
