{"id":8717994,"date":"2023-01-17T06:18:44","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T14:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/?p=8717994&preview=true&preview_id=8717994"},"modified":"2023-01-17T06:36:19","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T14:36:19","slug":"failed-republican-candidate-arrested-on-suspicion-of-orchestrating-shootings-at-homes-of-democrats-in-new-mexico-police-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/2023\/01\/17\/failed-republican-candidate-arrested-on-suspicion-of-orchestrating-shootings-at-homes-of-democrats-in-new-mexico-police-say\/","title":{"rendered":"Failed Republican candidate arrested on suspicion of orchestrating shootings at homes of Democrats in New Mexico, police say"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Jennifer Henderson | CNN<\/strong><\/div>\n

A former Republican New Mexico House of Representatives candidate \u2014 who, police say, claimed election fraud<\/a> after his defeat \u2014 was arrested by an Albuquerque SWAT team Monday in connection with a string of recent shootings that damaged homes of local Democratic elected leaders, city police said.<\/p>\n

Solomon Pe\u00f1a, who lost his 2022 run for state House District 14, is accused of paying and conspiring with four men to shoot at the homes <\/a>of two state legislators and two county commissioners, Albuquerque police said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is believed he is the mastermind\u201d behind the shootings that happened in December and early January, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said in a news conference.<\/p>\n

CNN has reached out to Pe\u00f1a\u2019s campaign website for comment and has been unable to identify his attorney.<\/p>\n

Before the shootings, Pe\u00f1a in November \u2014 after losing the election \u2014 had approached one of the legislators and some county commissioners at their homes with paperwork that he said indicated fraud was involved in the elections, police said.<\/p>\n

The investigation confirmed \u201cthese shootings were indeed politically motivated,\u201d Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, this was about a right-wing radical, an election denier who was arrested today and someone who did the worst imaginable thing you can do when you have a political disagreement, which is turn that to violence,\u201d said Keller, a Democrat. \u201cWe know we don\u2019t always agree with our elected officials, but that should never, ever lead to violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The stewing of doubt about election veracity, principally among Republicans and usually without proof, has exploded nationwide since then-President Donald Trump lost his reelection bid and began propagating falsehoods<\/a> the 2020 presidential election was stolen. The claims have stoked anger<\/a> \u2014 and unapologetic threats of violence<\/a> \u2014 against public officials down to the local level.<\/p>\n

Pe\u00f1a will face charges related to four shootings: a December 4 incident at the home of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa; a December 8 shooting at the home of incoming state House Speaker Javier Martinez; a December 11 shooting at the home of then-Bernalillo Commissioner Debbie O\u2019Malley; and a January 3 shooting at the home of state Sen. Linda Lopez, police said in a news release.<\/p>\n

\"State
State Sen. Linda Lopez shows bullet holes in her garage door after her home was shot at last month.(Adolphe Pierre-Louis\/The Albuquerque Journal\/AP) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the latest shooting, police found evidence \u201cPe\u00f1a himself went on this shooting and actually pulled the trigger on at least one of the firearms that was used,\u201d Albuquerque police Deputy Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock said. But an AR handgun he tried to use malfunctioned, and more than a dozen rounds were fired by another shooter from a separate handgun, the police statement said.<\/p>\n

The department is still investigating whether those suspected of carrying out the shootings were \u201ceven aware of who these targets were or if they were just conducting shootings,\u201d Hartsock added.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody was injured in the shootings, which resulted in damage to four homes,\u201d an Albuquerque police news release said.<\/p>\n

5 people tied to conspiracy, police say<\/h3>\n

During the fall campaign, Pe\u00f1a\u2019s opponent, Democratic state Rep. Miguel Garcia, sued to have Pe\u00f1a removed from the ballot, arguing Pe\u00f1a\u2019s status as an ex-felon should prevent him from being able to run for public office in the state, CNN affiliate KOAT<\/a> reported. Pe\u00f1a served nearly seven years in prison after a 2008 conviction for stealing a large volume of goods in a \u201csmash and grab scheme,\u201d the KOAT report said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t hide from your own history,\u201d Pe\u00f1a told the outlet in September. \u201cI had nothing more than a desire to improve my lot in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

A district court judge ruled Pe\u00f1a was allowed to run in the election, according to KOAT. He lost his race<\/a> to Garcia, 26% to 74%.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the election in November, Solomon Pe\u00f1a reached out and contracted someone for an amount of cash money to commit at least two of these shootings. The addresses of the shootings were communicated over phone,\u201d Hartsock said Monday, citing the investigation. \u201cWithin hours, in one case, the shooting took place at the lawmaker\u2019s home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Firearm evidence, surveillance video, cell phone and electronic records and witnesses in and around the conspiracy aided the investigation and helped officials connect five people to this conspiracy, Hartsock said.<\/p>\n

Detectives served search warrants Monday at Pe\u00f1a\u2019s apartment and the home of two men allegedly paid by Pe\u00f1a, police said in the statement, adding Pe\u00f1a did not speak with detectives.<\/p>\n

Officers arrested Pe\u00f1a on suspicion of \u201chelping orchestrate and participate in these four shootings, either at his request or he conducted them personally, himself,\u201d Hartsock added.<\/p>\n

Police last week announced they had a suspect in custody and had obtained a firearm connected to one of the shootings at homes of elected officials. A car driven at one of the shooting scenes was registered to Pe\u00f1a, the department said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDetectives no longer believe the shootings are connected to reports of shots fired near a campaign office of the Attorney General, nor the law office of a state senator,\u201d the news release states.<\/p>\n

\u2018Processing this attack (is) incredibly heavy\u2019<\/h3>\n