TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2024 COMMUNITY, B2
a Gallup Sun VOL 10 | ISSUE 509
By Molly Ann Howell Managing Editor
A
new year is upon us, but fi rst the Sun is taking a look back at the past year with 10 of the biggest local stories. These stories are not in a particular order but were chosen based on their impact on Gallup and McKinley County as a whole. 15-YEAR-OLD SHOT IN GALLUP When a Hozho Academy student got shot while out on an evening walk, the community gathered around him and held multiple town halls calling for public safety improvements. Liam Donaldson left his mom’s house around 7 pm and told her he’d be back around 7:45 pm that night. But Liam didn’t make it home that night. Instead, his mom received a call around 7:30 pm: It was the Gallup Police. Liam had been shot and was currently in the emergency room. According to a Gallup Police Department press release published on Aug. 20, Gallup Police Officer Gilbert Gonzales responded to the area of South Second Street and Logan Avenue after Liam reportedly called 911 himself. The shooting took place on a dirt trail along the Rio Puerco, which is a drainage canal that runs along Second Street. Liam said he didn’t initially see the man who shot him. He only noticed that there were other people around when he heard one of the two men exclaim “Oh, f***.” Liam turned around at the sound of the man’s voice, and then he heard a gunshot. “My fi rst thought was that they were shooting at each other, and then I saw the gun was pointed at me,” Liam said. “I didn’t realize they’d shot me; I thought they’d shot at me and missed.” For a while, the public was left in the dark about what happened to Liam. The Gallup Police did not release an initial statement about the shooting. Most people probably didn’t even know about it until Hozho Academy Principal Juliane Hillock sent out a letter to families of the school on Aug. 19 alerting them to the situation. In her letter, Hillock discussed how Hozho staff and students, and even herself, have been victims of crimes in the area. “This has been concerning, but now that one of our students has been shot in broad daylight while simply walking our streets, we can no longer wait to address safety in our community,” Hillock said. “These individuals have not been apprehended, and the community has not been notified of the danger. We, as community members, need to ask our
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community leaders to address the issue of crime and safety.” Hillock called for a town hall meeting where the public would have a chance to discuss their public safety concerns. The town hall was held at Hozho Academy on Aug. 22. The Gallup City Council and Police Chief Erin Toadlena-Pablo sat on a panel during the meeting while people voiced their concerns. Besides the town hall, Hozho Academy also held a candlelight vigil on Aug. 27 outside of Gallup City Hall during the regular City Council meeting. Hillock said the vigil wasn’t just for Liam, but rather for all community members who have been victims of violence. She also said the school plans on holding future events to discuss violence in the community. DEMOCRATIC VP CANDIDATE, SPEAKERS FIRE UP NAVAJO NATION For the fi rst time in modern history, a candidate on a presidential ticket campaigned on the Navajo Nation. Democrat Vice President candidate Tim Walz traveled to Arizona on Oct. 26 to speak at a rally in Phoenix less than two weeks before the 2024 General Election, in which he was running alongside Vice President Kamala Harris. But he also stopped in Window Rock, Ariz. and at the Gallup Municipal Airport. Walz arrived after 1 pm on Oct. 26 at the Gallup Municipal Airport for a brief press event with city officials. Then, the candidate’s motorcade traveled toward Window Rock for a rally in the Navajo Nation capital. Before Walz took the stage, the enthusiastic crowd heard numerous speakers share their support for the Harris-Walz campaign. These speakers spoke about the significance of this election and why they were there to support the Democratic candidates. Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez spoke to the crowd about the importance of voting. “As Native Americans, our voices have long been marginalized, but now is the time for us to reclaim our power and make our presence felt,” he said. “Voting is not just a right; it is a responsibility we carry forward in [our veterans’] memory.” When Walz spoke, he thanked the crowd for being there. “You could be anywhere, you could be doing anything else, but you chose to come here because you understand that democracy matters,” Walz said. “Your love of the Navajo Nation and of the U.S. is strong, and your presence here is proof of that. We’re here because we’re not taking any vote for granted.”
December 27, 2024
RAILROAD INFERNO A BNSF train carrying liquid petroleum gas (propane) derailed, creating an explosion at the Arizona/ New Mexico border April 26. Flames from the two railcars nearly engulfed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 shortly before 1 pm. McKinley County Sheriff James Maiorano III said the highway was shut down for 54 hours, causing traffic delays and bottleneck traffic along rural byways. The westbound train derailed on both sides of the border, bringing together a multitude of law enforcement agencies and fi refi ghters. No injuries were reported. According to a McKinley County Fire Rescue press release, 35 railcars carrying mixed freight derailed, six of which contained propane. A hazardous and toxic materials team arrived on
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