Police investigating shootings at homes, office of 4 New Mexico elected officials
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are investigating at least four recent shootings at the homes and an office of two Bernalillo County commissioners and two state senators. Albuquerque Police Department says the shootings happened on four separate days over the past month, with the latest happening on Thursday morning.
During a news conference Thursday, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller revealed that the fourth shooting happened at the office of newly-appointed state Sen. Moe Maestas. Previously, the homes of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa, former-Commissioner Debbie O'Malley, and state Sen. Linda Lopez were shot at in December and January.
The first shooting took place in early December at Barboa's home. APD says around 4:41 p.m. on December 4, someone shot eight rounds at the commissioner's home in southeast Albuquerque.
“It is traumatizing to have several bullets shot directly through my front door when my family and I were getting ready to celebrate Christmas,” Commissioner Barboa said Wednesday. “No one deserves threatening and dangerous attacks like this; we ask our fellow New Mexicans to be alert and attentive while the investigation proceeds.”
Barboa served as the chair of the Bernalillo County Commission in 2022. She began her first term in office in January 2021.
The second shooting happened one week later, on December 11. APD says investigators found more than a dozen gunshot impacts at the home of then-Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie O'Malley in the North Valley. O'Malley has since left her position as commissioner after serving a maximum of two terms.
In an email release sent by O'Malley Wednesday, the former commissioner said she and her husband were woken up by the gunfire. O'Malley says at least 10 gunshots struck the adobe wall surrounding her home.
“To say I am angry about this attack on my home — on my family, is the least of it," O'Malley said. "I remember thinking how grateful I was that my grandchildren were not spending the night, and that those bullets did not go through my house.”
Albuquerque Police say a third shooting occurred just two days ago, on January 3. At least eight shots were fired at the home of state Sen. Linda Lopez in southwest Albuquerque. That shooting happened after midnight.
Lopez has been a state senator since 1997. She says she, her son, and daughter were at home when the shooting occured.
"Three of the bullets passed through my 10 year-old daughter's bedroom," Lopez said in a statement. "I am asking the public to provide any information they may have that will assist the police in bringing about the arrest of the perpetrators.”
A fourth shooting is said to have occurred at Sen. Moe Maestas' Albuquerque office Thursday morning. Police were unable to provide more details on the latest shooting during a Thursday afternoon news conference.
Each of the politicians whose homes were shot are Democrats. However, Albuquerque Police say it's still unclear if the cases are connected. No one was hurt in each of the shootings.
Calling the investigation a "top priority," APD Chief Harold Medina says the department is now "working with federal partners to analyze the evidence." FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda appeared alongside Chief Medina and Mayor Keller during Thursday's news conference.
"These shootings are serious crimes, regardless of whether anyone was injured," Keller said in statement. "I stand with these community leaders and encourage anyone who may have information to help by reporting details to APD immediately."
Anyone with information about any of the shooting cases is asked to call police at (505) 242-COPS or Crime Stoppers at (505) 843-STOP.