Black Colorado Ranch Owning Couple Say Easter Shooting Marks Alarming Escalation In Ongoing Dispute

A Black Colorado couple says a recent shooting on their property has intensified long-standing fears for their safety, marking what they describe as a dangerous escalation in a years-long conflict surrounding their Black-owned ranch. Courtney “CW” and Nicole Mallery, owners of Freedom Acres Ranch, reported that gunfire struck their land over Easter weekend. While no injuries were reported, the incident left the family shaken. “Shots were fired at our ranch. We are alive, but something inside us has been shaken in a way that cannot be put back easily,” the couple wrote in a statement shared on social media. The Mallerys say the shooting is part of a broader pattern of hostility they have experienced since settling in rural Colorado. In interviews, they described repeated acts of intimidation, including alleged surveillance, property damage, and online harassment. “We are no longer speaking about harassment. We are no longer speaking about intimidation. We are speaking about survival,” they said, emphasizing the severity of their concerns. The family relocated to Colorado after being displaced by Hurricane Harvey, hoping to rebuild their lives through farming and community-based food production. Instead, they say they encountered ongoing tensions with neighbors and a series of troubling incidents, including the unexplained deaths of livestock and alleged confrontations involving firearms, as reported by BET. At one point, the couple faced criminal charges, including felon…