Native American man ‘tasered by park ranger’ after stepping off a trail in New Mexico

The man was visiting the site to pray and honour his ancestors

Darrell House, a Native American man, being tasered by a park ranger at Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico after the ranger demanded he identify himself. (Screengrab via KOB4 News)

A park ranger tasered a Native American man after confronting him for walking outside of the trails at a site sacred to some indigenous peoples.

The confrontation occurred at Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico on Sunday.

Darrell House, a US Marine veteran visiting the site to pray, was approached by a park ranger who yelled at him for walking off the trails.

Mr House spoke with KOB4 about the confrontation.

"I guess he was upset about me going off trail before, you know, doing my prayers for the rocks," he said.

Mr House is a member of the Oneida and Navajo peoples.

He said he frequently visited the site to pray and meditate to honour his ancestors.

Mr House said he moved off the trail to allow walkers to pass by, which caught the attention of the ranger. He said at that point the ranger began following him.

In a video recorded by Mr House, the ranger asks him to identify himself, which he initially refuses to do, and then gives a false name. The ranger then told Mr House if he did not produce identification he would be detained.

“I didn't see a reason to give my identification. I don't need to tell people why I'm coming there to pray and give things in honour to the land. I don’t need permission or consent,” Mr House told NBC News. “And I don’t think he liked that very much.”

In another video that his sister shot which circulated on social media,  Mr House is seen on the ground, shouting for help, while the ranger stands over him. The ranger then deploys his taser, which causes Mr House to shout in pain.

The ranger demands Mr House show his hands, but Mr House keeps them tucked behind him as he screams in pain.

The struggle continues as the ranger demands Mr House let him handcuff him, which Mr House resists. The ranger tases the man several more times before Mr House allows himself to be handcuffed.

The ranger, who has not been identified, said Mr House was being detained because he refused to identify himself.

A spokesman for the National Park Service said the incident was under review by the agency's internal affairs department.

"We take any allegation of wrongdoing very seriously, and appreciate the public's patience as we gather the facts of this incident," the spokesperson said.

Mr House said he was arrested and ticketed for interfering with agency function and resisting, walking off the trail, and giving false identification.

According to Mr House, this is the first time he has ever had an issue with a park ranger. He said he frequently conducts religious ceremonies at the site, like offering tobacco or stirring sage.

“We don’t have a set time, we don’t have set places, we don’t have buildings, and we don’t have things built to worship. Nature is what we've been worshipping ... and protecting it has always been our job,” he said. “I am Native, you know, I have rights to this land. I have rights off the trail.”