Ex-GOP candidate suspected of hunting Dems told shooter 'to aim lower' for sleeping targets: report

Failed Republican candidate Solomon Peña advised shooters to "aim lower" at sleeping Democrats that he was targeting in New Mexico, a witness said.

USA TODAYobtained a criminal complaint with details about shootings at the homes of four Democratic officials.

According to the complaint, Peña arranged the shootings because he was "upset he had not won the election for public office."

The witness, who is expected to cooperate with prosecutors, said that Peña preferred the shootings to happen during waking hours and "intended to (seriously injure) or cause death."

In the most recent shooting, Senator Linda Lopez's 10-year-old daughter woke up to find sheetrock dust in her bed. A police investigation found that the dust was caused by bullets fired into the home.

The witness said Peña wanted shooters "to aim lower and shoot around 8 p.m. because occupants would more likely not be laying down."

Peña lost his campaign for a state House seat in November. He is now facing charges in connection to shootings at four homes. The charges include "being a felon in possession of a firearm, four counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling, four counts of shooting at or from a moving vehicle, one count of attempted aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, four counts of conspiracy and criminal solicitation," USA Today reported.

Peña was booked on Tuesday at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center.