Albuquerque police on Monday arrested the man they say is the “mastermind” behind a recent string of shootings targeting Democratic lawmakers’ homes.
Investigators also believe Pena was present for at least one of the shootings.
Pena ran unsuccessfully in the House District 14 race and claimed on social media he should have won the election.
He also visited three of the targeted officials’ homes unannounced in November complaining the election was fraudulent and should not be certified.
“APD essentially discovered what we had all feared and what we had suspected â that these shootings were indeed politically motivated,” Mayor Tim Keller said at a news conference.
Both Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, and the House Republican Leader Ryan Lane, R-Aztec, issued statements applauding law enforcement and condemning violence.
In early January APD disclosed that it was investigating several shootings targeting Democratic elected officials’ homes around the city. »