A Native American man has been tased after refusing to show his ID to a park ranger. The incident happened at the Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The incident is said to have occurred after ex-marine Mr. Darrell House went off the main pathway to find a place to pray, the local area is a spiritual holy site for local Native American people. Mr. House was then confronted by a park ranger armed with a taser demanding that he show ID. When Mr. House refused, the park-ranger hit him with several blasts from his taser which sent painful paralysing electric shocks through Mr. House's body. His dog was also shocked. A second ranger later arrived and put Mr. House in handcuffs.
Mr. House was not doing anything illegal or anything that would give the park-ranger a reason to be suspicious about his behaviour.
The incident was captured on video.
Mr. House later told reporters:
"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, and I don't think he liked that very much. I was holding my dog, so my dog got tased as well, he felt the shock, he felt everything. I ended up dropping him when I fell."
He added:
"He wanted to show power, dominance, keep me in order. That's what authority figures are trained to do, to keep people like me in order. To make the 'Indian' look crazy, to make them look insane. 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. I am Native, you know. I have rights to this land. I have rights off the trail."
House also states that he will return to the National Park, he said:
"I will go back. I am going to continue to do my prayers, going off trail without permission. Without consent. That is my right."
A spokesperson for the National Park made a statement in which they said they are investigating the incident:
"We take any allegation of wrongdoing very seriously, and appreciate the public's patience as we gather the facts of this incident."
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