What we know about ex-GOP candidate arrested in connection with shootings at homes of New Mexico Democrats - CNN

CNN  — 

An unsuccessful Republican campaigner for authorities bureau successful New Mexico who attributed his decision to a “rigged” election is accused of masterminding a bid of shootings targeting the homes of elected Democrats.

Solomon Peña, who mislaid his 2022 tally for authorities House District 14, was arrested Monday by Albuquerque constabulary for allegedly paying and conspiring with 4 men to sprout astatine the homes of 2 authorities legislators and 2 region commissioners successful December and January, authorities said. No 1 was injured but investigators said Peña intended to origin superior wounded oregon death.

Gunshots were fired into the homes of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa connected December 4; incoming authorities House Speaker Javier Martinez connected December 8; then-Bernalillo Commissioner Debbie O’Malley connected December 11; and authorities Sen. Linda Lopez connected January 3, according to police.

CNN has reached retired to Peña’s run website for remark and has been incapable to place his attorney.

Here’s what we cognize astir Peña:

After losing the November predetermination and earlier the caller shootings, Peña approached a legislator and immoderate region commissioners astatine their homes, uninvited, with paperwork helium claimed showed fraud was committed successful the vote, according to police.

Barboa was 1 of those officials. Shots were aboriginal fired astatine her location connected December 4, constabulary said.

“He came to my location aft the election. … He was saying that the elections were fake … truly speaking erratically. I didn’t consciousness threatened astatine the time, but I did consciousness similar helium was erratic,” Barboa told “CNN This Morning” connected Tuesday.

Peña mislaid his contention to Democratic authorities Rep. Miguel Garcia 26% to 74%. A week aboriginal helium tweeted helium “never conceded” the contention and was researching his options.

In the mid-November tweet, Peña mentioned erstwhile President Donald Trump, whose falsehoods astir predetermination results, principally among Republicans and usually without proof, person exploded nationwide since helium mislaid his reelection bid and began propagating lies astir the theft of the 2020 statesmanlike election.

The mendacious claims of electoral fraud person stoked choler – and unapologetic threats of unit – against nationalist officials down to the section level.

“Trump conscionable announced for 2024,” Peña tweeted. “I basal with him.”

On December 12, Peña responded to a tweet posted by existent House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, who wrote, “Violent insurrectionists and utmost MAGA republicans are melting down implicit repeated predetermination losses. So they impeach Dems of undermining democracy. Get lost.”

“I disagree,” Peña tweeted. “New Mexico elections are perfectly rigged. And we volition prosecute justice.”

On January 2 and again connected January 9, Peña reiterated his predetermination denial and fraud claims, tweeting that helium “will combat it until the time I die” and vowing “MAGA federation 4ever!”

A former run staffer for Peña said the campaigner would chastise Republicans helium believed didn’t enactment Trump and recalled an lawsuit erstwhile Peña “called out” different Republican person for “being anti-Trump.”

Peña faces charges stemming from the 4 abstracted shootings.

On December 4, shots were fired astatine Barboa’s home.

Barboa said she discovered grounds of the gunshots aft returning from Christmas shopping.

“It was terrifying. My location had 4 shots done the beforehand doorway and windows, wherever conscionable hours earlier my grandbaby and I were playing successful the surviving room,” Barboa said successful a statement.

“Processing this onslaught continues to beryllium incredibly heavy, particularly knowing that different women and radical of colour elected officials, with children and grandbabies, were targeted.”

Barboa said she is grateful for an apprehension successful the case, she told “CNN This Morning” connected Tuesday.

“I’m relieved to perceive that radical won’t beryllium targeted successful this mode by him immoderate longer,” she said.

On December 8, a shooting was reported astatine the location of Martinez.

“I profoundly admit our Albuquerque Police Department for their hard enactment passim the probe into these shootings targeting elected officials. I americium grateful a fishy is successful custody, and I spot our justness strategy volition clasp those liable accountable,” Martinez said successful a statement.

“We person seen acold excessively overmuch governmental unit lately and each of these events are almighty reminders that stirring up fear, heightening tensions, and stoking hatred tin person devastating consequences.”

O’Malley’s location was targeted connected December 11.

“I americium precise relieved – and truthful is my family. I’m precise appreciative of the enactment the constabulary did,” O’Malley told CNN connected Monday evening.

O’Malley and her hubby were dormant erstwhile much than a twelve shots were fired astatine her location successful Albuquerque connected December 11, she said.

O’Malley called the constabulary to accidental the adobe fencing astatine her location had been damaged by gunfire. While constabulary were investigating, O’Malley mentioned Peña had travel to her location a time oregon 2 earlier the incidental complaining astir the caller predetermination results, the affidavit said.

Ring doorbell camera footage recorded astatine O’Malley’s erstwhile residence and obtained by CNN showed Peña extracurricular the doorway and knocking, holding documents successful his hands.

The existent nonmigratory spoke to him done the camera’s talker feature, telling him O’Malley nary longer lived astatine that residence and directing him to her caller home.

On January 3, Lopez’s location was hit, according to police. At slightest 8 shots were fired astatine the southwest Albuquerque residence. Police said Peña pulled the trigger connected 1 of the firearms.

“Myself and my children were awakened by immoderate large noises. Initially, I thought they were fireworks,” Lopez told CNN affiliate KOAT. “It’s precise scary. You know, arsenic a mom, it’s thing you ne'er privation to experience.”

Three shots entered her daughter’s chamber and 2 were fired into Lopez’s bedroom, KOAT reported.

Lopez told constabulary she “heard large bangs but dismissed them arsenic fireworks astatine the time,” according to the apprehension warrant affidavit for Peña.

Lopez’s girl thought a spider was crawling connected her look and soil was successful her bed, the authorities legislator told police. Officers recovered “sheetrock particulate was blown onto Linda’s daughter’s look and furniture resulting from firearm projectile(s) passing wrong her chamber overhead,” according to the affidavit.

Investigators recovered grounds “Peña himself went connected this shooting and really pulled the trigger connected astatine slightest 1 of the firearms that was used,” Albuquerque constabulary Deputy Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock said.

But an AR handgun helium tried to usage malfunctioned. More than a twelve rounds were fired by different shooter with a abstracted handgun, according to police.

Shell casings astatine Lopez’s location matched a handgun confiscated from a metallic Nissan Maxima progressive successful a postulation halt astir 40 minutes aft the shooting and astir 4 miles from the residence, constabulary said.

The Maxima was registered to Peña, though Peña was not driving it erstwhile it was stopped, constabulary said.

During the autumn campaign, Peña’s opponent, Democratic authorities Rep. Miguel Garcia, sued to person Peña removed from the ballot, arguing Peña’s presumption arsenic an ex-felon should person prevented him from moving for nationalist bureau successful the state, CNN affiliate KOAT reported.

Peña served astir 7 years successful situation aft a 2008 condemnation for stealing a ample measurement of goods successful a “smash and drawback scheme,” the KOAT study said.

“You can’t fell from your ain history,” Peña told the outlet successful September. “I had thing much than a tendency to amended my batch successful life.”

The Second Judicial District Court successful Bernalillo County successful September cleared Peña to tally for bureau partially due to the fact that the authorities constitution allows a felon to vote.

“In different words, our State Constitution provides that if a convicted felon is qualified to ballot by satisfying immoderate statutory requirements to beryllium capable to vote, that idiosyncratic is besides qualified to clasp nationalist office,” tribunal documents said.

Police are present investigating how Peña whitethorn person known his alleged co-conspirators – and whether helium met 1 of them portion successful prison.

Peña was arrested by Albuquerque constabulary connected Monday.

“It is believed helium is the mastermind” down the shootings, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina told reporters, referring to the suspect.

An probe confirmed “these shootings were so politically motivated,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said Monday.

“At the extremity of the day, this was astir a right-wing radical, an predetermination denier who was arrested contiguous and idiosyncratic who did the worst imaginable happening you tin bash erstwhile you person a governmental disagreement, which is crook that to violence,” said Keller, a Democrat. “We cognize we don’t ever hold with our elected officials, but that should never, ever pb to violence.”

Police are inactive investigating whether those suspected of carrying retired the shootings were “even alert of who these targets were oregon if they were conscionable conducting shootings,” according to Hartsock.

Peña’s apprehension warrant affidavit identified 2 of the alleged co-conspirators as Demetrio Trujillo and José Trujillo. Attempts to scope attorneys for the Trujillos were not successful.

Firearm evidence, surveillance video, compartment telephone and physics records and witnesses successful and astir the conspiracy aided the probe and helped officials link others to the alleged conspiracy, Hartsock said.

“After the predetermination successful November, Solomon Peña reached retired and contracted idiosyncratic for an magnitude of currency wealth to perpetrate astatine slightest 2 of these shootings. The addresses of the shootings were communicated implicit phone,” Hartsock said Monday, citing the investigation. “Within hours, successful 1 case, the shooting took spot astatine the lawmaker’s home.”

Detectives served hunt warrants Monday astatine Peña’s flat and the location of 2 men allegedly paid by Peña, according to police.

“Solomon provided firearms and currency payments and personally participated successful astatine slightest 1 shooting,” the apprehension affidavit said. “Solomon intended to (cause) superior wounded oregon origin decease to occupants wrong their homes.”

Officers arrested Peña connected suspicion of “helping orchestrate and enactment successful these 4 shootings, either astatine his petition oregon helium conducted them personally, himself,” Hartsock added.

Peña is being held connected preliminary charges of felon successful possession of a firearm; attempted aggravated artillery with a deadly weapon; transgression solicitation; and 4 counts each of shooting astatine an occupied dwelling, shooting astatine oregon from a centrifugal vehicle, and conspiracy, according to a warrant.

Police said past week they had a fishy successful custody and had obtained a firearm connected to 1 of the shootings. A car driven astatine 1 of the shooting scenes was registered to Peña, according to police.

Charges are expected to beryllium filed against the different men who participated successful the shootings, constabulary said.

One conspirator initially instructed shooters “to purpose supra the windows to debar striking anyone inside,” the affidavit said, citing a confidential witnesser with cognition of the alleged conspiracy.

But Peña yet wanted the shooters to beryllium “more aggressive,” according to the affidavit, citing the confidential witness.

Peña “wanted them to purpose little and sprout astir 8 p.m. due to the fact that occupants would much apt not beryllium laying down,” said the affidavit, citing the confidential witness.