On the evening of May 27, 2023, a Hispanic/Latino male named Anthony Silva, age 26, was killed in a burst of violence that erupted during the annual Red River Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally in New Mexico. The event, which typically draws thousands of bikers, turned chaotic around 5:00 p.m. when gunfire broke out on Main Street. The shooting was not a random act of violence but rather a targeted confrontation between rival outlaw motorcycle gangs.
The altercation that led to the deadly
shootout reportedly began over a photograph taken in Albuquerque, which escalated when members of the Bandidos and Water Dogs motorcycle clubs crossed paths again in Red River. What started as a verbal dispute quickly turned into a physical fight, and then to a gun battle that left three people dead and five others wounded. Anthony Silva, identified as a member of the Bandidos, was one of the three individuals who lost their lives in the exchange of fire. The other deceased were identified as Randy Sanchez, 46, a member of the Water Dogs, and Damian Breaux, 46, also a member of the Bandidos.
In the aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement quickly responded, and several arrests were made. Jacob David Castillo, a 30-year-old member of the Water Dogs, was charged with an open count of murder. He was among those injured in the incident and was hospitalized before being booked into the Taos County Detention Center. However, in a later development, the murder charge against Castillo was dismissed, with prosecutors citing the need for further investigation, leaving the possibility of refiling the charge in the future.
Two other men were also taken into custody on charges not directly related to the homicides. Christopher Garcia, 41, faced a charge of cocaine possession, while Mathew Charles Jackson, 39, was charged with unlawfully carrying a firearm in a liquor establishment. The incident prompted a heavy police presence in Red River, with authorities working to ensure public safety and continue their investigation into the deadly biker gang confrontation.
