Two Navajo Police officers injured in Tohajiilee gunfire exchange
WINDOW ROCK
A shooting in Tohajiilee, New Mexico, prompted a heavy law enforcement response Friday along Interstate 40 in western New Mexico, according to a witness and preliminary information shared by police.
A witness traveling west from Albuquerque said they saw two sheriff’s units and an unmarked law enforcement vehicle heading westbound. Near the Tohajiilee turnoff, the witness reported seeing significant police activity.
The witness also said they saw an estimated 10 to 12 additional law enforcement units traveling in the same direction between Laguna and Grants.
Authorities had not publicly released full details at the time, including exactly where the shooting occurred, how many people were involved, or whether any suspects had been taken into custody.
The Gallup Police Department later stated in a social media post that two Navajo Police Department officers were injured in a gunfire exchange in Tohajiilee.
“Please come together with us to extend prayers and support for our brothers and sisters at the Navajo Police Department,” the Gallup Police Department stated Friday. “Two of their officers were injured in a gunfire exchange in Tohajiilee.”
According to law enforcement familiar with the incident, the injured officers were taken to UNM Hospital in Albuquerque for treatment.
Early reports described the incident as a shootout involving Navajo police officers and a suspect, but authorities had not yet released an official account confirming how the exchange unfolded.
The large law enforcement presence suggested a serious incident, though key details remained unconfirmed as of Friday.
Published March 6, 2026, 3:56 p.m. Updated March 6, 8:30 p.m.
A correction was made on March 6: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the date of the incident. It occurred Friday, March 6, not Thursday, March 5.
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow