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New Mexico man charged with attempted murder in protest shooting

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New Mexico man charged with attempted murder in protest shooting


New Mexico resident Ryan Martinez, 23, who was taken into custody as the suspected shooter, is seen in this undated handout. New Mexico State Police/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing Rights

Sept 29 (Reuters) – A New Mexico man was charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting a demonstrator at a protest over plans to reinstall a statue of a Spanish conquistador in the north of the state, police said.

Twenty-three-year-old Ryan Martinez of Sandia Park was arrested on Thursday after he shot a 42-year-old man while attempting to disrupt a peaceful protest at a civic center in Espanola, state police said in a statement.

The return of the statue of 16th-century colonial ruler Juan de Onate to a pedestal outside the public offices had been planned for Thursday but postponed by officials due to security concerns. The bronze was taken down in 2020 during nationwide anti-racism protests to topple monuments to European colonizers and Confederate officials.

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A public defender assigned to Martinez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The wounded man, identified by family as Native American climate activist Jacob Johns of Seattle, was in critical condition at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque awaiting surgery, said Mateo Peixinho, an organizer for the protest rally.

“We strongly believe this fits the definition of a hate crime and domestic terrorism due to the fact that he was wearing a MAGA hat and displaying instigating behavior all morning,” Peixinho said in a statement, referring to the “Make America Great Again” slogan used by former President Donald Trump.

Police said Martinez jumped a low wall and got into a scuffle with protesters before he pulled a handgun from his waistband, fired one shot and fled.

It was the latest violence around statues to Onate, the area’s first colonial governor, erected in the 1990s to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Spaniards.

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The monuments have long outraged Native Americans and others who trace Onate’s brutal 1598 colonization to contemporary problems ranging from gender inequality to institutional racism.

Some ancestors of Spanish colonial settlers, known as Hispanos, say he should be celebrated as part of New Mexico’s Hispanic heritage.

Reporting By Andrew Hay; Editing by Chris Reese and William Mallard

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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New Mexico

New Mexico High School Basketball Rankings: Week 5

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New Mexico High School Basketball Rankings: Week 5


Welcome to the NMPreps.com weekly power rankings for New Mexico high school basketball. As the most up-to-date source for New Mexico high school athletics, we bring you the latest team rankings. Here are the rankings for the week of December 23rd-28th.



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New Mexico

Winter storm will bring mountain snow for Christmas

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Winter storm will bring mountain snow for Christmas


A winter storm will pass over Northern New Mexico and deliver some mountain snow on Christmas.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Dry and seasonably warm weather will continue through early next week.

A winter storm will bring light snow accumulations to the northern mountains Christmas Day and Night and most of the state will see an uptick in wind speeds.

Temperatures will drop a few degrees later in the week, but remain near to slightly above average.

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Another weak winter storm could bring more mountain snow on Friday.

Meteorologist Brandon Richards has your full forecast in the video above.



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Report: Former New Mexico State O-Lineman Louie Canepa to Transfer to Oklahoma State

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Report: Former New Mexico State O-Lineman Louie Canepa to Transfer to Oklahoma State


PORTAL TRACKER

The Cowboys have gained some more transfer talent, this time adding to their rebuilding offensive line.

Louie Canepa, a 6-foout-4, 320-pound interior offensive lineman, is headed to Oklahoma State, according to a report. He spent the last three years at New Mexico State.

Canepa came to New Mexico State as the No. 15 OL prospect from his state, originally hailing from Vintage High School in Napa, California. He appeared in one game as a true freshman but by Year 2 he was instrumental in the Aggies turning in a 10-win season.

As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Canepa played in 14 of the Aggies’ 15 games, starting 10. New Mexico State ranked 14th in rushing yards per game, and made it to the Conference USA Championship Game. In 2024, he appeared in all 12 games and started four at right guard.

At New Mexico State, Canepa played under Andrew Mitchell, who was reportedly hired to coach OSU’s offensive line, along with Cooper Bassett.

Capena is the third offensive lineman the Cowboys have grabbed out of the portal thus far, joining Kasen Carpenter (Tulsa) and Lavaka Taukeiaho (Weber State). There’s a lot of rebuilding to be done in that room with 2024 starters Dalton Cooper, Cole Birmingham, Joe Michalski, Preston Wilson, Jake Springfield and Isaia Glass all leaving the program (the first five through eligibility and Glass through the portal).

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