ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The man at the center of the shooting at the Juan De Oñate protest in downtown Albuquerque nearly three years ago took a plea deal Friday. The charge involving the shooting was dismissed.
It was June 15, 2020, when a large crowd protested the Oñate statue in Old Town. Stephen Baca showed up claiming to try and protect the statue. Some of the crowd became angered after Baca threw two women to the ground near the statue. Several protesters then went after Baca including a man with a skateboard and swung it at Baca. Baca then pulled out a gun and shot the man with the skateboard. Baca claimed he shot in self-defense.
He accepted a plea deal that dismisses the aggravated battery charge with a deadly weapon which is a felony. He did plead no contest to one aggravated battery charge and guilty to battery for pushing two women down. He pled guilty to unlawfully carrying a deadly weapon because he concealed his gun without a license.
The prosecuting attorney said this agreement fits with the evidence they could have convicted at trial. Baca will be sentenced within 90 days and faces up to one day short of two years in jail.
