Shooting leads to postponement

Police feared retaliation during Española at Los Alamos game

Concerns of possible retaliation following a shooting Friday evening outside a convenience store near Española led to the postponement of Saturday’s boys District 2-5A basketball game between Española Valley and host Los Alamos.

A passenger in a vehicle, Daniel Suarez, 20, was shot in the head after the group of four people got gas at the convenience store shortly before 7 p.m. Friday, Española Police detective George Martinez said.

The shots came from another vehicle, which then followed the victim’s vehicle as it tried to get to Española Presbyterian Hospital, he said. Several more shots were fired at the victim’s vehicle, but no one else was injured, Martinez said.

The detective said one of the two suspects in the shooting is believed to be an Española Valley junior varsity player. Both suspects are residents of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo.

Officials were concerned Suarez’s friends would try to retaliate during Saturday’s game, scheduled for 7 p.m., Martinez said.

“Due to the threats the victim’s gang was going to retaliate against the shooter, the game was canceled,” the detective said.

EVHS athletic director Eric Vigil confirmed the game was not played on Saturday, and that it could be rescheduled. He referred all other questions to district superintendent Eric V. Martinez.

Calls to Martinez’s office were unanswered and he did not respond to email requests for comment. Likewise, there was no response to calls and texts to all of the district’s board members.

Sundevils interim coach Eric Martinez, who is not related to the superintendent, was unavailable for comment. Hilltoppers coach Mike Kluk said he heard a number of rumors, but he is sure the game will be rescheduled for some time in the future.

Suarez was taken to UNMH in Albuquerque for treatment, where he was listed to be in stable condition late Saturday.

Martinez said the original shooting occurred on tribal land. Because of that, the case would be turned over to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for further investigation.

This is another unusual twist in an odd season the Sundevils, who are the defending 5A state champions.

Since then, however, EVHS boys head coach Richard Martinez was fired, reinstated then reassigned and his brother Eric Martinez has been coaching in his place. Richard Martinez remains under investigation by the state Public Education Department for “serious ethical and criminal misconduct.”