Police authorities have detained a suspect following a gunshot during a New Mexico protest over the placement of a conquistador statue. According to reports from authorities on Thursday, at least one person has been sent to the hospital as a result of the event.

The man has been identified as Ryan Martinez, as reported by the Albuquerque Journal.

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Who is Ryan Martinez?

Ryan Martinez is 23 years old. He was reportedly wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat earlier in the day and was caught by sheriff’s deputies just as they were about to depart the area in a white Tesla.

Before the shooting, he identified himself as Ryan Martinez to a Journal photographer who was on the scene. He allegedly got into a “scuffle” and shot a Native American guy as a result. The Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office also verified the suspect’s identification as Ryan Martinez.

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According to the Journal, the gunshot took place when protestors and counter-protesters were fighting. The person who later gave his name as Martinez was seen in a photo donning a “Make America Great Again” hat and a recognizable teal hoodie.

The victim was shot in the “upper torso area near the chest” and was quickly taken by EMS to a nearby hospital for treatment. The Journal reported that some sixty people attended the Espaola event to voice their concerns against the divisive statue of the conquistador Juan de Oate.

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In 2020, the statue of Juan de Oate was demolished and put away. Juan de Oate was the first colonial governor of New Mexico and was in charge of planning the slaughter of countless Native Americans in 1599. It was scheduled to be reinstalled this week, but campaigners’ persistent efforts convinced the government to delay the move.