U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Conviction of Church Rock Man for Shooting at Law Enforcement

ALBUQUERQUE – A Church Rock man has pleaded guilty in federal court in federal court to charges related to attack on law enforcement officers on the Navajo Nation.

According to court documents, in the early morning of July 22, 2023, the Navajo Police Department (NPD) received reports of a man identified as Elijah Touchine, 24, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, walking near his residence, shooting a gun, and threatening to hurt someone. Officers from the NPD and New Mexico State Police responded to the area and came under fire from an unknown direction, prompting them to take tactical action to protect themselves. Law enforcement could hear the bullets whizzing past and striking the ground nearby. They pursued the shooter into a canyon but had to discontinue the search after twelve hours due to dark conditions.

Later that day, the FBI, with assistance from the Gallup Police Department, located Touchine at a local gun store in Gallup, NM. He was taken into custody without incident. During the investigation, it was determined that Touchine had forced his grandmother to purchase ammunition and an AR-15 firearm for him through threats of violence. When asked why he was buying a gun, Touchine replied, “I don’t know, shoot up any cop I see.”

Law enforcement recovered a .40 caliber Taurus handgun and ammunition in a black bag from the trunk of his grandmother’s vehicle.

At sentencing, Touchine faces 12 to 17 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Touchine will be subject to up to five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigation, New Mexico State Police and Gallup Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.

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