Man in police custody for shooting person during prayer to oppose Oñate statue

By: Megan Gleason and Shaun Griswold - September 28, 2023 1:12 pm

The concrete slab where Rio Arriba County officials planned to reinstall a statue of statue of conquistador and war criminal Juan de Oñate. (Photo by Anna Padilla for Source NM)

A person was shot during a prayer event in front of an Española building where Rio Arriba County officials planned to reinstall a statue of conquistador and war criminal Juan de Oñate.

Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s office confirmed that a man who arrived at the event in a white Tesla is in custody for the shooting.

Source NM reporters on scene said the young man had a gun in his waistband.

The person shot was identified as someone from Washington, who joined the group Thursday morning to oppose the plans to bring back the statue that was removed in 2020.

He was taken to the hospital alive and talking, according to the Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office.

The shooting happened just before noon.

People who remained after the shooting were not allowed to leave the area, according to New Mexico State police.

Late Wednesday, Rio Arriba County officials canceled plans to put the Oñate statue on a concrete slab in front of a county building and also postponed a county commission meeting planned for 1 p.m.

People hug after a shooting in Española during a prayer event to oppose the reinstallation of a statue of conquistador and war criminal Juan de Oñate. (Photo by Anna Padilla for Source NM)

After that announcement, people opposed to the statue held an event to pray and celebrate the county’s decision, described as a “win.”

More than a hundred people were at the event to celebrate and as the event continued, at least a dozen people arrived to antagonize the peaceful prayer event.

This is a developing story and Source NM will update as we get more information.

Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site.

Megan Gleason

Megan Gleason is a journalist based in Albuquerque. She recently graduated from the University of New Mexico, where she served as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. Other work has appeared under the New Mexico Press Association as well as in the Independent, Gallup Sun and Silver City Daily Press.

Shaun Griswold

Shaun Griswold is a journalist in Albuquerque. He is a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, and his ancestry also includes Jemez and Zuni on the maternal side of his family. He grew up in Albuquerque and Gallup. He brings a decade of print and broadcast news experience. Shaun reports on issues important to Native Americans in urban and tribal communities throughout the state, including education and child welfare.