A U.S. citizen allegedly fired a flare gun at a fisherman on Sunday in La Paz, Baja California Sur, missing his target but sparking an immediate protest.

Michael Wolf, believed to be from California, had been involved in a verbal dispute with fishermen and demanded they stop passing near his boat, according to the newspaper El Sudcaliforniano.

Wolf has lived on a sailboat anchored in La Paz for some years and was previously detained in March 2020 after he fired an air rifle at fishermen in the same area, the report said.

A group of mainly female residents gathered on the beach in the community of Manglito to protest the flare gun incident and called municipal police. But they were unable to act as the assailant was on board his boat and technically out of their jurisdiction, the newspaper reported.

A navy patrol arrived around an hour after the gun was fired. A fishboat approached the patrol, only to be told that the navy’s mission was to keep peace between Wolf and the protesters.

Residents said Wolf has temporary residence status that runs out in July.

They planned to attend the public prosecutor’s office Tuesday morning to denounce the attack, and said they would request assistance from the federal Attorney General’s Office, the navy and the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Some residents warned they will take justice into their own hands if authorities fail to act.
Flare guns are used by sailors to project a bright light as a warning or distress signal. They can reach a height of 20 to 200 meters depending on their caliber.

Source: El Sudcaliforniano (sp)