Man threatens to stab protesters

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Protesters at The University of New Mexico said they were scared for their lives when a homeless man threatened to stab members of Unoccupy Albuquerque with a knife. Officers had to take the man down with a taser; and they say he was drunk.

The man, Miguel Aguirre, claimed he has a personal connection to the university and was just trying to protect it from the protesters camping out there.

“I apologize to the protesters,” Aguirre told News 13 from inside the back of a Albuquerque Police car Friday. “UNM recruited me to come here in ‘82.”

UNM said it has no idea if Aguirre was recruited by the Lobos to play basketball at any time.

Aguirre's online court record shows a long criminal history; mainly for alcohol.

Around 5:30, officers claim Aguirre approached the protesters yelling "who wants to be first" as he whipped out a filet knife.

“Honestly we were just minding our own business and this gentleman came at us with a knife trying to be threatening,” protester Mark Somoza said. “Luckily there was enough of us to kind of coerce him to be calm.”

No one was actually stabbed. Officers caught up with Aguirre at the McDonalds across the street. They tased him after he refused to follow commands. Aguirre told officers he's been on a drinking binge and believes the protesters are disrespecting UNM.

Aguirre has been booked for aggravated assault.