Ryan Martinez, shooter in Española rally over controversial Oñate statue, charged with attempted murder

Ryan David Martinez is facing two felony counts in the shooting of Native American activist Jacob Johns on Thursday during an Española rally celebrating Rio Arriba County officials’ decision to postpone relocating a controversial statue of conquistador Juan de Oñate.

Martinez, 23, is charged with attempted first-degree murder in Johns’ shooting and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly pointing his gun at another person afterward. He appears to have been booked into the Rio Arriba County jail about 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

Martinez has been assigned a public defender to represent him. A woman who answered a call to a number listed as one of his relatives said the family had no comment.

Johns was taken to a nearby hospital immediately after the shooting but was eventually flown to University of New Mexico Hospital for surgery, according to court records. A friend of his told the Journal on Thursday that he was in stable condition, but State Police didn’t know his condition Friday afternoon.

Witnesses told police that Martinez, who wore a Make America Great Again hat to the rally, and several other men wearing similar hats had been walking around the rally trying to provoke people. One said she heard Martinez making racist comments to children.

During an activist speech near an altar set up on the pedestal outside the county annex building, where the statue of Oñate was to be installed, police say several people stepped in to block Martinez’s path as he tried to rush the shrine.

Martinez eventually broke free from the scuffle, hopped over a half-wall, pulled a handgun from his waistband and fired one shot, hitting Johns in the abdomen, according to police.

“The group of men do not try to (pursue) Ryan, and Ryan pulled his handgun from his waistband and shoots,” State Police wrote in court documents.

After the shooting, Martinez got into a white Tesla and fled the scene, and, according to witnesses who chased after him, at times drove in the opposite lane of travel.

Pojoaque Pueblo Police caught up with him on southbound U.S. 84/285 and arrested him without incident.

During an interview with State Police, Martinez at one point asked “if someone who attempted a murder would be allowed to walk out,” according to court documents. When police told him that it would be up to a judge, Martinez replied that was “crazy and stupid.”

Police say Martinez chuckled when he was shown a photo of him pointing a gun and wearing the same clothes he was wearing during the interview.

Martinez recently worked at Presbyterian Healthcare Services’ customer service center, a spokesperson said in an email, but only for less than a month. The spokesperson did not answer a question about why he no longer works for Presbyterian.