News bit: Update on the shootings at Democrats in New Mexico

On Jan. 8, 2023, I posted about a string of shootings in New Mexico that were all directed toward Democrats. Homes and offices were shot at, but no one was injured or murdered. At the time I speculated that it was probably a radical right Republican. I wrote:

The shootings could be by one or more individuals or groups. It could be by a single insane person. The shootings could be by an enraged communist who thinks that Democrats are tyrants. Or it could be a rabid Christian nationalist who thinks that .... But, relevant political circumstances here include normalization of violence, intolerant extremism and publicly expressed hate of liberals and Democrats by some of America’s fascist radical right. The first thought that comes to mind is that the shootings are politically motivated by a Republican fascist or Christofascist.  

Political circumstances also include these public comments by Faux News very own Tucker Carlson, arguably the current leading propagandist, liar and slanderer working for American fascism: 

“That loathing [of liberals] clouded my judgment. I was like, ‘I dislike these people so much. What they’re doing is so wrong. It is helping so few people and hurting so many. It’s so immoral on every level that I just want it to be repudiated.’ And I wanted that so much, not because I like the Republicans — I really dislike them more than I ever have [he is a liar on this point] — but I dislike the other side more. I did learn that, like, I have no freaking idea what goes on in American politics.[he is a liar on this point -- he knows exactly what is going on]” 

One can reasonably ask if it is irrational, unfair, wrong and/or unwise to immediately jump to the conclusion that one or more fascist Republicans are responsible for this violence. 

I got some criticism for speculating that a radical right Republican was most likely the culprit. Well, looks like they caught the guy who done it. Guess what? It was a radical right Republican who done it. The WaPo writes:

A former Republican candidate for the New Mexico House was arrested Monday for allegedly orchestrating a series of drive-by shootings targeting Democratic state officials this winter, Albuquerque police said.

Solomon Peña, who lost the November election to incumbent Rep. Miguel P. Garcia (D), paid four other men to shoot at the homes of two county commissioners and two state legislators, the Albuquerque police acting commander, Kyle Hartsock, said Monday at a news conference.  

After losing the election in November, Peña allegedly visited the homes of three county commissioners and a state senator, said Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesperson for Albuquerque police. Peña complained about his loss, claimed it was rigged and argued at length with one of the officials.

It looks like my speculation was correct. Does or should that make any difference in assessing whether it was OK to speculate before an alleged culprit was caught? Or, is my speculation still unreasonable because the arrested person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law? Waddabout the court of public opinion, i.e., should it shut up until a court of law has spoken? What if the court of law never takes a case up, e.g., like never nailing Trump and other Republican elites for their crimes?