A threat against a leading Democrat in the New Mexico Senate prompted the disruption and evacuation of Santa Fe schools in and around the lawmaker’s neighborhood.
Chris Nordstrum, communications director for New Mexico Senate Democrats, confirmed to New Mexico Political Report that a bomb threat was made against the home of Sen. Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) on Thursday.
“I am grateful to our state and local law enforcement agencies for their swift and professional response to this serious matter, and to the school officials who skillfully managed the disturbance,” Wirth said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the threat led to the evacuation of the Santa Fe Preparatory School and precautions to be taken at other schools in Santa Fe’s east side.
On X, the New Mexico State Police reported at 12:23 p.m. that Westbound and Eastbound traffic on Camino De Cruz Blanca was closed between Camino Del Monte Sol and Calle Romolo because of the threat. By 1:03 p.m., lanes of traffic on Camino De Cruz Blanca in both directions were reopened.
The threat comes amid a climate of heightened political violence following the assassination on Wednesday of political activist and conservative social media influencer Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, prompting calls for civility by some political leaders on both sides of the political aisle, but heated rhetoric from other officials and on social media.
Wirth, in his statement about the threats against him, condemned political violence and said that it has no place in a democratic society.
“Regardless of our political views, we must reject intimidation and work together through peaceful, lawful means to resolve our disagreements,” he said.