A Bloomfield man, who was reportedly intoxicated, was arrested in connection with a shooting Saturday morning in Riverside Park in Aztec.
Hector Evans Beyale Jr., 19, was charged with two felony charges of fourth-degree aggravated assaults with a deadly weapon, a fourth-degree felony tampering with evidence and a third-degree felony abuse of a child placed in a dangerous situation.
Beyale reportedly was at the park shortly after 10 a.m. with another man and woman. They reportedly were in an area behind the basketball court and there were several children and other adults in the area, according to the criminal complaint.
Craig Phillips told police he was at the park with his baseball team, and they were picking up trash as part of a fundraiser. He stated that Beyale “started mocking him,” the criminal complain states.
Phillips stated that a few minutes later, a child “picked up some trash and flung water on another child,” and Phillips said “not to do that because it’s nasty,” the criminal complaint states.
Beyale then became “upset” and shot a firearm toward the ground, apparently hitting the foot of the woman with Beyale.
“You shot me in the (expletive) foot,” the woman reportedly said.
Beyale “stated he did not give a (expletive), pushed the female aside and fired two more times into the ground,” the criminal complaint states.
Beyale walked to the river and allegedly disposed of the firearm in the river, according to witnesses and the criminal complaint. He then walked toward Hartman Park, where police found him on the bridge.
When police tried to arrest him, Beyale reportedly “did not comply but did not make any aggressive movements,” police state in the criminal complaint. “I could smell the strong odor of an intoxicating liquor emitting from his breath,” and he reportedly “showed obvious signs of intoxication upon arrest.”
The woman who was shot in the foot was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Beyale was arrested and booked into the San Juan County Detention Center. His preliminary hearing is set for 8 a.m. May 9 in Aztec Magistrate Court.
