Red Lopez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Red Lopez
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Red Lopez in 1913
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| Born |
Rafael Lopez
c.1886 |
| Died | October 1921 |
| Nationality | Mexican |
| Other names | Ralph Lopez |
| Occupation | Outlaw, revolutionary |
Red Lopez, born Rafael Lopez (around 1886 – October 1921), was a Mexican outlaw. He was known for being involved in many serious incidents in northern Mexico and the American Southwest. He also fought during the Mexican Revolution. Red Lopez was eventually killed in a shootout by Frank Hamer, a famous Texas Ranger.
Biography
Early Life and Skills
Rafael "Red" Lopez was born in northern Mexico around 1886. His mother was an Indian woman. His father, Martin Lopez, later became a general in Pancho Villa's army. One of his uncles, Pablo Lopez, was also a general with Villa.
As a young person, Lopez and his younger brother went to New Mexico Territory. They worked in the mines there with some of their relatives. In New Mexico, Lopez became very good at riding horses and shooting. By 1913, he worked for Buffalo Bill Cody in his Wild West show. This show traveled all over the country and even to other parts of the world.
Trouble in Utah
On November 21, 1913, Lopez was involved in a shooting incident in Bingham, Utah. He shot and killed another miner named Juan Valdez. Lopez did not want to surrender to the police. He ran away across snowy mountains to a ranch near Utah Lake.
A group of four lawmen, called a posse, quickly followed Lopez. They found him at the ranch. As the posse got close, Lopez fired at them from a ditch. He used a Winchester rifle. He hit the Bingham police chief, John William Grant, who died right away. Lopez also hit Deputy Nephi Jensen and Deputy George Witbeck. Jensen died almost immediately. Witbeck survived for a short time before he also passed away. Deputy Julius Sorenson was the only one of the four lawmen who was not seriously hurt. He was the only one to shoot back at Lopez, who then ran away.
News of this shootout spread quickly. Law enforcement officers from all over Utah came together. This became the largest manhunt in Utah's history. About 200 people, both regular citizens and lawmen, joined the search.
Lopez went to hide in the Minnie Silver Mine outside Bingham. He stopped at a friend's house and took another rifle. A few days later, the police found out where Lopez was. They blocked the mine entrances with armed guards. On November 29, the posse tried to smoke Lopez out. They sent two deputies into the mine with hay to start a fire, but Lopez shot them both. The remaining posse tried to make Lopez surrender by starving him. However, some miners who felt sorry for him left food in the tunnels. The posse also tried pumping smoke and fumes into the mine, but it did not work. Finally, Lopez escaped from the mine and got away. The search was called off on January 3, 1914.
Lopez was never seen in Utah again. However, his case remained open for 90 years. The shootout on November 21, 1913, was the deadliest day for law enforcement in Utah's history.
Adventures in Texas
Lopez fled to Texas, where he became the leader of an outlaw gang. For several years, Lopez and his gang robbed banks and trains along the Rio Grande. Between 1915 and 1916, he fought in the Mexican Revolution alongside his father.
Around 1914, near the border, Lopez and his men attacked a train. They robbed it and caused many deaths among the American passengers. Because of this serious event, the Texas Rangers began to chase Lopez. But they could not catch him for many years.
The Final Encounter
In October 1921, Frank Hamer was leading a group of Texas Rangers. An informant told him that Lopez was expected at a meeting of outlaws near the Rio Grande. Hamer decided to set a trap for the outlaws. He and his men hid in an irrigation ditch.
As the sun began to set, the rangers saw about twenty armed men approaching. Hamer later said he saw both the informant and Lopez. Lopez was wearing his "trademark clothing," a red bandana and overalls. Hamer stood up and shouted "Halt! We are officers of the law!" in Spanish. Lopez quickly turned and fired at Hamer with a rifle. Hamer fired back with his .35 caliber Remington Model 8. His first shot hit Lopez, who died instantly. Hamer aimed for the informant, but another ranger shot the man down. The fighting lasted about thirty minutes. Many of the outlaws were killed that day. None of the rangers were seriously hurt. Hamer took a gold watch from Lopez's body. It was covered in blood and had been hit by one of Hamer's bullets. Hamer gave the watch to his brother, who displayed it for several years.
Even though Lopez was dead and his gang defeated, the Texas Rangers never told the state of Utah. The Lopez case in Utah remained open until January 24, 2003. After many years of his own investigation, Deputy Sheriff Randy Lish of Salt Lake County confirmed that the Lopez from Utah and the Lopez from Texas were the same person. With this information, the case was finally closed.
