The Albuquerque Police Department is investigating a string of shootings that may have targeted the homes and offices of a number of elected officials over the last month.
Police are remaining tight-lipped on most details, but here’s what’s currently been made public:
What do we know about the suspect?
A suspect in at least one of the shootings — a man under 50 — has been arrested and is in custody on unrelated charges. Police are not saying what those charges are or providing any other details about the case while they continue the investigation. Police also have a firearm in their possession that they say was used in one of the shootings.
Who are the politicians who have been targeted?
All six politicians are Democrats who live in Albuquerque. Most have served in elected office for many years.
■ Debbie O’Malley is a longtime local legislator and progressive Democrat. She served on the Albuquerque City Council from 2003 to 2012, then won election to the Bernalillo County Commission where she represented the North Valley and part of the West Side until she was term-limited out at the end of 2022.
■ Adriann Barboa is in her first term on the county commission, having been elected in 2020 to represent the central Albuquerque district. She has been among the most progressive voices on the commission since taking office.
■ State Sen. Linda Lopez, a Democrat, oversees Senate District 11 in Southwest Albuquerque. She has served in the senate since 1997 and was previously the majority whip but lost that position last fall.
■ State Rep. Javier Martinez, a Democrat, is the current nominee for House speaker and the representative for District 11 in Southwest Albuquerque. Martinez was previously the majority floor leader, and has been a member of the House since 2015.
■ State Sen. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, a Democrat, is a former representative who in November 2022 filled the senate seat vacated by Jacob Candelaria. He oversees Senate District 26 on the West Side.
■ Raúl Torrez, a Democrat, is the attorney general of New Mexico. Torrez is the former district attorney for the Second Judicial District.
When did the shootings happen?
■ On Dec. 4 around 4:41 p.m. eight shots were fired at Barboa’s home in Southeast Albuquerque. Barboa said bullets went through her front door as her family was preparing to celebrate Christmas.
■ On Dec. 8, Martinez reportedly heard gunshots outside his home near the North Valley and, after the investigation was announced a month later, found damage “presumably from gunfire” to the house.
■ On Dec 10 in the early morning hours gunshots were fired in the area of Torrez’s former campaign office in East Downtown. Torrez had recently moved out of the office after winning the AG’s race.
■ On Dec. 11 in the early morning hours gunshots were fired at O’ Malley’s home in the North Valley and more than 12 bullets struck the house.
■ On Jan. 3 just after midnight, eight shots rang out at Lopez’s home in Southwest Albuquerque. Lopez said that three bullets went through her daughter’s bedroom as the 10-year-old slept.
■ On Jan. 5 around 11:30 a.m., hours after the investigation was announced, a gunshot detection device reported three shots fired near the Downtown building where Maestas has his office. There was no damage to the building.
What steps are being taken to keep other politicians safe?
The state Legislature removed lawmakers’ home addresses and phone numbers from its website and is working with them to determine what public contact information they’re OK with publishing. The Legislative Council Services director has been in touch with the Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico State Police ahead of the upcoming legislative session, which starts next week and State Police officers will have a presence at the Roundhouse, as they do every year.
– Journal reporters Matthew Reisen, Elise Kaplan, Jessica Dyer and Dan Boyd contributed.
