ALBUQUERQUE – Peter Oka, 30, of Coolidge,   N.M., and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared for his preliminary and detention hearing for charges of use of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, and assault resulting in serious bodily harm Feb. 10.

The court ordered Oka detained pending trial.

According to a criminal complaint, on Jan. 26, Oka allegedly got into an argument with the occupants of a house located on the Navajo Nation reservation. Oka allegedly retrieved a firearm and fired multiple rounds into the ceiling.

He allegedly pointed the firearm at John Doe, shooting him multiple times. Oka...

Officer sustains minor injuries

A carjacking in broad daylight led to a police chase and the arrest of Jeremy Cowboy, of Mentmore, Feb. 15.

According to a news release, the victim, who was at Hampton Inn west, 111 Twin Buttes Rd., told Metro Dispatch shortly after 1 pm that a Native American man pointed a handgun at her, and stole her blue Ford Escape SUV.

It wasn’t long before deputies from the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office located the stolen vehicle on the east side of Gallup.

The deputies followed the Escape through the Indian Hills and Red Hills neighborhoods and initiated a pursuit.

However, they lost sight of the vehicle, but only briefly.

A short time later, Gallup...

Four Gallup Police officers found themselves untangling several witness reports after an incident with a firearm led them to a residence on Lookout Avenue late Feb. 12.

Officers Matthew Strandy, Richard Rangel, Patrick Largo, and Sgt. Matthew Graham were stationed on a call on the 2700 block of Lookout Avenue when they heard a gunshot come from a residence across the street from them.

The officers created a perimeter around the residence. As they did so, they heard Dana Chandler, 33, of Gallup, shouting about dogs barking at a nearby residence.

Strandy, Rangel, and Graham went through a neighboring yard and laid eyes on Chandler shouting at the dogs while standing outside of his back...

GPD detectives on the hunt for a suspect

Details are still emerging as Gallup police investigate the shooting death of Lane Ortiz, 32, of Fort Wingate.

According to a GPD news release, Metro Dispatch received the emergency call at about 9:14 pm Feb. 7. The caller reported hearing shots fired, and seeing a man, later identified as Ortiz, lying on the ground in the vicinity of the 500 block area of Clark Street in Gallup.

Ortiz had been shot multiple times, and was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.

GPD detectives are seeking information and witnesses, as no suspect(s) have been positively identified.

If you have any information on this incident...