During a demonstration in New Mexico against the placement of a statue depicting a Spanish conquistador, a man was shot and injured. Tensions around the memorial, which had provoked protests and counter-protests, persisted at the time of the occurrence.

These are the salient features:

The demonstration was held at Alcalde, New Mexico, the location of the removal of a statue of Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate according to popular outcry. Critics of the statue have claimed for years that it celebrated a person connected to the colonization, oppression, and brutality against Indigenous peoples. The statue had been the subject of debate.
On the day of the demonstration, activists and supporters of Indigenous rights organized a counter-protest to support the removal of the statue, while a number of demonstrators assembled to oppose its removal. A disagreement between several protestors intensified throughout the demonstrations, resulting in an altercation. One man was shot and hurt in the chaos. Law enforcement officials arrived at the scene without delay.

The wounded man was sent to a hospital so that he might receive care. His status was unknown at the time, and the first reports did not specify the extent of his injuries.
To ascertain the facts surrounding the incident, locate the gunman, and evaluate possible charges, authorities launched an investigation. To keep everyone safe and in their place, security measures were tightened.

There have been discussions and court cases over the removal of the Juan de Oñate statue; some argued that it was an oppressive symbol and that it should remain, while others defended it as an important piece of New Mexico’s past. In recent years, there have been protests and demonstrations around historical statues in the US, especially those that represent contentious individuals like Conquistadors or Confederate leaders. The ongoing debates over how communities ought to handle and interpret their historical legacies and monuments are reflected in these protests.