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Shiprock Man Charged with Assaulting Federal Officer with a Dangerous Weapon

A U.S. Attorney's Office announcement dated August 7, 2026 says a 41-year-old Shiprock man allegedly fired in the direction of an officer responding to a call in Shiprock, New Mexico.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 8, 2026, 12:13 a.m. ET
A man from Shiprock, New Mexico has been in federal court with assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico on August 7, 2026 (release number ). According to that announcement, which cites court documents, Navajo Nation Police responded on July 26, 2026 to a report that Marcus Allen Benally, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was using a rifle to threaten his neighbor in Shiprock. The release states that Benally fired in the direction of an officer, striking and damaging a patrol vehicle, then fled on foot and was apprehended by a K9. The office said he will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled, and that he faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the current charges. The announcement was made by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office. The release says the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Nation Police Department and the Navajo Nation Department of Investigations, and that Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting. The case is at the charging stage and remains open. As the U.S. Attorney's Office stated: ""

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  1. Version 18 Aug 2026, 04:13current

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