Losing GOP candidate arrested in shootings at New Mexico Democrats' homes - NBC News

A failed campaigner for the New Mexico authorities House described by constabulary arsenic an "election denier" was arrested Monday successful a drawstring of shootings astatine the homes of authorities and section Democratic leaders.

Republican Solomon Peña is accused of conspiring with and paying 4 men to transportation retired shootings astatine the Albuquerque-area homes of 2 Bernalillo County commissioners and 2 authorities legislators, Albuquerque constabulary said. No 1 was wounded successful the shootings.

Peña mightiness person been motivated by choler implicit his nonaccomplishment successful November, constabulary said. Police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said astatine a quality league aboriginal Monday evening that Peña alleged his decision was the effect of predetermination fraud.

Pena mislaid his authorities House situation to incumbent Democrat Miguel P. Garcia by 5,679 to 2,033, oregon 74% to 26%.

He took his lawsuit to 3 region commissioners and a authorities legislator — immoderate whose homes were targeted successful the shootings — to nary avail, Gallegos said.

"He had complaints astir his predetermination helium felt being rigged," Gallegos said. "As the politician said, helium was an predetermination denier — helium doesn’t privation to judge the results of his election."

One of the meetings with section and authorities leaders became heated, helium said.

"One really led to rather an argument, I believe," Gallegos said. "It was soon aft that the shootings occurred."

State Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, shows slug holes successful her store doorway connected Jan. 5 aft her location was changeable astatine past month.Adolphe Pierre / Albuquerque Journal via Alamy

Peña was a vocal protagonist of erstwhile President Donald Trump, who claimed elector fraud successful his 2020 predetermination loss, an allegation that is unfounded. He was photographed during his run past twelvemonth wearing a reddish "Make America Great Again" sweatshirt with a stitched, gold-colored signature of the erstwhile president.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller described the attacks arsenic a merchandise of governmental extremism.

"This radicalism is simply a menace to our city, our state, and our nation," helium tweeted Monday. "We volition proceed to propulsion backmost against hatred successful each forms and halt governmental violence."

Detectives allege Peña paid 4 men currency and texted them the addresses helium wanted targeted, Albuquerque constabulary said.

A cardinal to the investigation, constabulary said, was a postulation halt aboriginal Jan. 3 of Peña's Nissan Maxima, driven by a antheral named Jose Trujillo, who was arrested based connected a felony warrant, constabulary said successful a connection Monday.

The apprehension triggered an "inventory search" of the vehicle, a expanse allowed nether instrumentality successful bid to impound it safely, and authorities discovered much than 800 fentanyl pills successful the halfway console, constabulary said.

More important to the lawsuit were the 2 handguns recovered successful the Nissan, 1 of which appeared to person fired shots extracurricular the location of authorities Sen. Linda Lopez astir 40 minutes earlier the postulation halt and 4 miles away, according to the latest constabulary statement.

One of the guns matches the statement of 1 constabulary allege Peña took to 1 of the 4 shootings, according to the statement. The weapon malfunctioned, and helium near the shooting to 1 of the men helium hired, constabulary alleged. "Another shooter fired much than a twelve rounds from a abstracted handgun,” constabulary said successful their connection Monday night.

In addition, a ammunition casing recovered successful the Maxima matched those recovered astatine the country of different shooting, extracurricular the location of caller authorities House Speaker Javier Martinez connected Dec. 8, constabulary said.

One much casing was recovered successful different vehicle, reported stolen, that constabulary accidental was utilized by 1 of the shooters allegedly hired by Peña. That casing matched to a Dec. 4 study of shots fired extracurricular the location of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa successful Southeast Albuquerque, constabulary said.

Another shooting, successful which much than a twelve shots were fired astatine the location of then-Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley, took spot Dec. 11 and completes the incidents constabulary accidental are tied to Peña.

Solomon Pena, center, a Republican campaigner for New Mexico House District 14, is taken into custody by Albuquerque Police officers connected Jan. 16, 2023, successful southwest Albuquerque, N.M.Roberto E. Rosales / The Albuquerque Journal via AP

Two different shootings antecedently believed to person been linked to the lawsuit — Dec. 10 gunfire astatine the erstwhile run bureau of Raúl Torrez, who was elected New Mexico's lawyer general, and Jan. 5 gunfire extracurricular the downtown instrumentality offices of recently appointed authorities Sen. Moe Maestas — haven't been connected to Peña, constabulary said astatine the quality conference.

On Jan. 9 constabulary announced the apprehension of different suspect successful the lawsuit and said they took possession of a firearm perchance utilized successful 1 of the shootings. On Monday, constabulary said 4 radical speech from Peña were involved, with much charges and arrests coming. The presumption of the Jan. 9 fishy wasn't clear, and constabulary didn't respond to a petition for clarity.

On Monday, Police Chief Harold Medina described Peña as the initiator of the shootings.

"It is believed that helium is the mastermind down this," helium said astatine Monday's quality conference.

A SWAT squad arrested Peña astatine his flat successful the Albuquerque country Monday, constabulary said.

It wasn't wide whether Peña has retained counsel for the case. There was nary effect to an enquiry sent via his run site. A institution associated with Peña didn't instantly respond to a petition for comment.

The Albuquerque Journal describes Peña arsenic an unsuccessful campaigner for New Mexico House District 14, which represents the Albuquerque area's South Valley.

The paper reported during his run past twelvemonth that Peña had served astir 7 years successful situation for burglary.

Police noted Monday nighttime that predetermination victor Garcia unsuccessfully sued past twelvemonth to person Peña deemed ineligible to service successful the Legislature due to the fact that of his felony conviction.

Peña is described successful a run email arsenic a California autochthonal who completed precocious schoolhouse successful New Mexico, became a Navy infirmary corpsman assigned to Okinawa, Japan, owns a concern and earned a governmental subject grade from the University of New Mexico successful 2021.

On his run website, Peña vowed a safer aboriginal for the state. “I volition combat to supply accidental for the adjacent generation, support the section system open, and halt those who privation New Mexicans harm — successful immoderate way,” helium said.

CORRECTION (Jan. 17, 2023, 11:22 a.m. ET): A erstwhile mentation of this nonfiction misstated a constabulary uncovering connected a Dec. 8 shooting astatine the location of House Speaker Javier Martinez. Police accidental the incidental is connected to Peña; they did not accidental that the shooting was not connected to his arrest.