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On June 15th, protesters in Albuquerque, New Mexico attempted to take down a bronze statue of Juan de Oñate, a Spanish conquistador outside the Albuquerque Museum.
There were groups protesting, and attempting to take down the statue, as well as those protesting and attempting to preserve the statue.
After a while, a man in a blue shirt that was protecting a few of the “pro” Oñate statue people began to leave the heated scene of the chaos.
A mob began to follow him to his car and yell in his direction. As they approached, he took out his pepper spray and warned them not to come closer.
They proceeded to advance on him and he discharged the pepper spray.
The crowd kept following him and he warned them again to stay back. Three individuals proceeded to attack him by tackling him, and hitting him in the head with skateboards.
One of the individuals purportedly had a knife in their hand and in apparent self defense the man with the blue shirt shot his handgun four times into him.
"Don Onate“(La Jornada sculpture) Shooting!!! Here is what really happened!!
***FOR LICENCING OF THE VIDEO ATTACHED, CONTACT US AT abqraw505@gmail.com THIS VIDEO IS COPYRIGHTED WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT!!!On the evening of June 15th, 2020 an event at Tiguex Park and near the Albuquerque Museum. Protesters gathered where the Juan de Oñate statue is located. The group began gathering around 5:15PM. Several speakers spoke at Tiguex Park on the statue's meaning to a gathering crowd. There were people for the removal of the statue, and people against removal, a handful of gentlemen were also seen open carrying various weapons. The protest was some what peaceful throughout the event with native american chants and prayers directed at the statue. Disagreeing people would stand in front of the "pro" Oñate statue people to silence their voices. The open carry New Mexico Civil Guard was seen providing protection for the people who were being harassed by agitators. Hours into the protest chanting could be heard "take it down" and they made attempts to demolish the statue with rocks and a pick axe. At 8:05PM, a man in a blue shirt that was protecting a few of the "pro" Oñate statue people began to leave the heated scene of the chaos. A mob began to follow him to his car and yell in his direction. As they approached, he took out his pepper spray and warned them not to come closer. They proceeded to advance on him and he discharged the pepper spray. The crowd kept following him and he warned them again to stay back. Three individuals proceeded to attack him by tackling him, and hitting him in the head with skateboards. One of the subjects had a knife in his hand moments before the man in the blue shirt discharged his weapon four times at the man with the knife. The group at the Oñate statue came to the scene and some started CPR on the man. NM Civil Guard formed a barrier around the man in the blue shirt to protect him from the heated scene. The man in blue and NM Civil Guard were taken into custody by responding Officers. The people who assaulted the man in the blue shirt were not taken into custody and kept blaming the man in blue for everything. The wounded man who was was taken to an area hospital and his condition at writing was "critical but stable". ***City of Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller released this statement on Twitter: Our hearts go out the victim, his family, and witnesses whose lives were needlessly threatened tonight. This sculpture has now become an urgent matter of public safety.*** ***Albuquerque Police Chief Micheal “We are receiving reports about vigilante groups possibly instigating this violence. If this is true will be holding them accountable to the fullest extent of the law, including federal hate group designation and prosecution.”***It is unclear what charges will be filed against anyone in the matter. Albuquerque's Old Town was temporarily shut down while investigators combed through evidence.
Posted by ABQ RAW on Tuesday, June 16, 2020
There is a video also showing the shooting.
ANTIFA FUCKS AROUND AND FINDS OUT ??? pic.twitter.com/bcNJkRRuPP
— SALID (@SALIDmag) June 16, 2020
Purportedly, the individuals attacking the man are from Antifa and were allegedly attempting to kill him and he was acting in self-defense.
Police identified the man charged in the shooting as a former Albuquerque city council candidate, Steven Ray Baca.
The wounded man, Scott Williams, was listed in critical but stable condition, said Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos.
Following the altercation, Gallegos said police used tear gas and flash bangs to protect the officers who intervened and detained those in a right-wing militia group who may have been involved in the shooting. He said they were disarmed and taken into custody for questioning as police worked to secure the scene. He said detectives were investigating with the help of the FBI.
The militia group, known as the New Mexico Civil Guard said on social media that they took no responsibility for the shooting and that Baca was not their member.
Albuquerque Police Chief Michael Grier said that police were looking into whether the group possibly instigated the shooting.
“If this is true, (we) will be holding them accountable to the fullest extent of the law, including federal hate group designation and prosecution,” the chief added.
“I am horrified and disgusted beyond words,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement condemning the “heavily armed individuals who flaunted themselves at the protest, calling themselves a ‘civil guard.’”
Someone’s been shot. Multiple people calling 911. Chaos. pic.twitter.com/jxNjIvYJuf
— Megan Abundis (@meganrabundis) June 16, 2020
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller expressed concern over the incident.
The shooting tonight was a tragic, outrageous and unacceptable act of violence and it has no place in our city. Our diverse community will not be deterred by acts meant to divide or silence us.
— Mayor Tim Keller (@MayorKeller) June 16, 2020
He also said that the statue would actually be removed.
In order to contain the public safety risk, the City will be removing the statue until the appropriate civic institutions can determine next steps.
— Mayor Tim Keller (@MayorKeller) June 16, 2020
The entire situation is being spun out of proportion being blamed on “vigilante groups” when the video clearly shows a group of alleged Antifa members attacking a man who reportedly attempted to simply protect a monument that testified to a part of history.
https://t.co/yWP28pYgAA https://t.co/9DjlQKyMyd
— Mayor Tim Keller (@MayorKeller) June 16, 2020
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
everyone gangsta till good guys start to shoot
At the moment one of those terrorists gets shot they cry for the police… What a poetic justice!!!
Pathedic,that about sums up the level of cowardness you get from these vermin mob! These are the deplorables: