Investigation finds park ranger at Petroglyphs followed department policy in tasing incident

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An investigation determined a ranger at the Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque acted appropriately when he tased a man who had gone off the trail.

The investigation found the "ranger’s actions were consistent with agency policy and appropriate given the totality of the circumstances."

Darrell House, a Native American, said he had gone off the trail to maintain social distance from others. He said he was there for religious purposes.

The National Park Service said it can learn from the incident.

“The National Park Service remains committed to respecting the rights and dignity of every individual. This incident provided a learning experience for us to build on how we incorporate Tribal and Pueblo perspectives in our everyday work,” said National Park Service Regional Director Mike Reynolds. “In the months ahead, we will be working with the Pueblo and Tribal communities to develop ways to better coordinate use of the area for ceremonial and religious purposes.”