23-year-old Elijah I. Touchine of Church Rock, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, made an initial appearance in federal court on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and use of a firearm during a crime of violence on July 25.
The criminal complaint alleges that in the early morning of July 22, the Navajo Police Department received reports of Touchine walking near his residence and firing a gun while threatening to hurt neighbors. Officers from the NPD and New Mexico State Police responded and came under fire from an unidentified direction and unknown assailant.
The shooter was pursued on foot into a canyon, but the because of the darkness, officers could not identify the location of the shooter. After twelve hours, the search was discontinued.
Hours later, the FBI received information about Touchine's whereabouts and located him at a gun store in Gallup with help from the Gallup Police Department. Officers move in and Touchine was arrested without incident. It was determined that he had forced his grandmother to purchase a gun for him through threats of violence, and when asked about his intentions, he replied, 'I don’t know, shoot up any cop I see.'
A black handgun was found in the vehicle Touchine arrived in at the location.
Touchine is only indicted, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, he could face a life sentence.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation, assisted by the Navajo Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and Gallup Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.