CRIME
Man accused of threatening pastor in North Valley
Suspect told police he never pointed a gun at anyone and did not intentionally hit pastor with his vehicle
Published
An Albuquerque man is accused of pointing a gun at a pastor at a local church on Wednesday during an altercation sparked by the pastor鈥檚 support for a North Valley mosque.
David Romero, 72, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Thursday.
Police were dispatched about 10:55 a.m. to St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Catholic Church at 300 Mildred NW, near Fourth and Candelaria, after a woman reported the church had displayed a sign calling her 鈥渁 bigot and sinning against God,鈥� according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.
The situation escalated after the woman allegedly became angry that the church鈥檚 pastor, Vincent Ch谩vez, spoke at a public hearing about a proposal to build a mosque in the North Valley.
Ch谩vez told the Journal that the woman recorded his statement during a Bernalillo County Planning Commission meeting and posted it on social media, asking the public to call Archbishop of Santa Fe John Wester and demand that he remove Ch谩vez as pastor.
鈥淓verything I do is to try to, in a prophetic way, challenge people to growth and maturity, and that鈥檚 what the prophets did,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what Jesus did.鈥�
Ch谩vez said the sign stated, 鈥淩acism: a grave sin against God鈥檚 love," with the woman鈥檚 name below it. He said the message had been on the sign before, though Ch谩vez later added her name in response to what he said were numerous negative posts against him.
鈥淪he has the freedom to post about me and I wanted to send a message to her,鈥� he said.
The woman could not be reached for comment Friday.
After the woman called 911, she told officers she was taking photos of the sign when the church鈥檚 groundskeeper arrived and the two got into an argument, the complaint states.
She told police she then called her boyfriend, Romero, to help her during the altercation.
When Romero arrived, he and the groundskeeper got into an altercation, and the groundskeeper pepper-sprayed Romero, striking the woman as well, the complaint states.
The groundskeeper told police Romero grabbed a gun from his vehicle and pointed it at the groundskeeper and Ch谩vez, who had come outside and was recording the incident, according to the complaint. The groundskeeper told police that Romero threatened to 鈥渒ill him or get him" multiple times.
Romero got in his vehicle to leave, and Ch谩vez stood behind the vehicle to keep him from driving away, the complaint states.
鈥淭he vehicle struck him at the waist as it was reversing and fled the area,鈥� according to the complaint.
Police spoke with Romero, who said he knew he had hit Ch谩vez with his car but that he 鈥渄idn鈥檛 actually hit him; he was just trying to get away鈥� and told officers he did grab his gun but never pointed it at anyone, the complaint states.
Ch谩vez said he went to support the mosque because he felt the situation had devolved into a conversation less about the traffic issues the mosque could cause and more into a racist situation.
鈥淚 had no problems supporting this mosque and I was aware of all sorts of racism going on there,鈥� he added.
Ch谩vez said that, while the situation brought a lot of controversial attention toward him and his church, he does not regret his decision to speak in support of the mosque, adding that he hopes the situation opens a dialogue for people of all faiths.
鈥淚t鈥檚 my prophetic role to challenge people to be better,鈥� Ch谩vez said. 鈥淩acism is a most grievous sin against God鈥檚 love.鈥�
Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.
