A man was shot on Thursday in New Mexico during a protest against the planned reinstallation of a statue depicting Spanish conquistador Juan de Onate, who brutally colonized the state. The shooting took place at the Rio Arriba County building in Espanola, following a scuffle between protesters and a counter-protestor. The suspect, identified as Ryan Martinez, was apprehended by authorities. The victim, a Native American man from Seattle, Washington, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico hospital in Albuquerque, where he was in stable condition after having a bullet removed from his chest.

The incident occurred as tensions escalated over the return of the 16th-century statue, which had been removed three years ago during nationwide anti-racism demonstrations. The county had planned to reinstall the statue on Thursday but halted the process due to the protests. Mateo Peixinho, an organizer of the protest against the statue, revealed that he had spoken to Martinez, the alleged shooter, prior to the incident. Martinez expressed his dissatisfaction with the authorities' decision not to reinstall the statue. Peixinho also noted that Martinez was among a group of counter-protesters wearing "Make America Great Again" hats.

The shooting took place outside the Rio Arriba County Clerk's Office, where the rededication of the controversial statue was supposed to take place. A witness captured the shooting on video, which showed the altercation leading up to the gunfire. The New Mexico State Police confirmed that a suspect was taken into custody and identified him as 23-year-old Ryan Martinez. The motive for the shooting has not yet been determined, and no charges have been filed.

Following the incident, the rededication ceremony was postponed indefinitely in the interest of public safety, as concerns grew over potential clashes between protesters and counter-protesters. Despite the delay, some people still gathered outside the County Clerk's Office on Thursday morning. Witnesses reported that the conflict leading up to the shooting involved a counter-protester charging at those celebrating the postponement of the statue's rededication.

The suspect, Martinez, was described as a young man in his 20s wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat and a teal shirt. However, it is unclear whether he was wearing the hat at the time of the shooting. The Rio Arriba statue, which has been a source of controversy, was previously removed from another location in the county back in 2020. The Albuquerque Journal reported that a similar incident occurred in 2020, when a person was shot during a protest over an O?±ate statue in Albuquerque's Old Town.

Juan de O?±ate, the figure depicted by the statue, is known for the 1599 massacre of a pueblo tribe. Calls to remove statues of O?±ate have been ongoing in New Mexico due to the violent history of colonialism associated with his actions. NPR reported on this issue three years ago, highlighting the push by many in the state to have his statues taken down.