Police charged a man with two counts of aggravated assault after they said he pulled a gun during an argument outside a northwest Albuquerque church.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Police charged a man with two counts of aggravated assault after they said he pulled a gun during an argument outside a northwest Albuquerque church.
The confrontation happened after Bernalillo County approved a North Valley mosque, and debate over the project spilled into the Catholic community. Father Vincent Paul Chavez said tensions had been building for weeks.
“She recorded me during my one-minute public comment to the county commissioners, posted the video to her Facebook page and called for people to telephone the office of the archbishop,” Chavez said. “She posted the telephone number and demanded that Father Chris and I be removed as priests.”
Chavez said he and Katrina Griego had argued on social media and that the conflict expanded over a church sign.
“So then I put up on the marquee, ‘Racism, a grave sin against God’s love,’ and underneath it I put, ‘Katrina G,’” Chavez said. “I saw someone in front of the marquee with a telephone camera.”
Chavez said he approached Griego outside St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Catholic Parish.
“I said, ‘Katrina, I know you’re a follower of Jesus, as I am. I know for myself I would not want to hear from our Lord Jesus, “Out of my sight, you condemned into that eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” because of your racism,’” Chavez said.
After Chavez left, a facilities director asked Griego to leave. Instead she called her boyfriend, David Romero, who came to the parish, and police said he pulled a gun.
“The facilities director said, ‘He has a gun, Father.’ I said, ‘Shoot me. I don’t care. I’m ready to go. We have a good God over here,’” Chavez said.
The facilities director pepper-sprayed the couple before Romero left, according to KOB 4. Police charged Romero with two counts of aggravated assault.
Police have not charged Griego or any parish employees.
