Man Fatally Shot, Sheriff's Office Shooting Investigated

Werito began going in and out of the residence, brandished a firearm, and threw a grenade at deputies.  In an effort to get the suspect out of the house and comply with commands, two flash bangs were deployed.  When that was ineffective, tear gas was introduced into the residence.  The suspect exited the residence around 10:57am pointing a firearm at deputies and deputies fired their weapons.  Medics were staged in the area and responded immediately after the scene was deemed secure, however Werito succumbed to his injuries on scene.

From the San Juan County Sheriff's Office

September 14, 2021

The San Juan County Regional Officer Involved Shooting Task Force is investigating an officer involved shooting involving the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.

At approximately 1:33am on September 13, Farmington Police Department responded to a severely injured woman in the vicinity of Dustin and Almon.  Through the course of their investigation, officers learned two men battered the woman at a residence in the Wildflower area.  The woman was transported to the hospital where she underwent surgery and was treated for excessive blood loss and a broken femur.

Officers found that the battery occurred at a residence on Road 3935, where one of the suspects, 44-year-old Tedman Werito, resided.  The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for the residence.  Deputies arrived at the house at approximately 9:06 am and began to use a loudspeaker to call all the occupants out of the residence. Six individuals, including Werito, exited the house. Werito then made verbal threats towards the deputies and re-entered the residence stating he was retrieving a firearm.  Deputies attempted to call him out of the house but were unsuccessful. At approximately 10:20am, the San Juan County SWAT team arrived on scene with their armored vehicle and continued to give commands to surrender.  Werito began going in and out of the residence, brandished a firearm, and threw a grenade at deputies.  In an effort to get the suspect out of the house and comply with commands, two flash bangs were deployed.  When that was ineffective, tear gas was introduced into the residence.  The suspect exited the residence around 10:57am pointing a firearm at deputies and deputies fired their weapons.  Medics were staged in the area and responded immediately after the scene was deemed secure, however Werito succumbed to his injuries on scene.

The grenade that Werito threw at deputies was later determined to be inert. Werito is a convicted felon and a habitual offender.  He was released from jail on pre-trial services in December of 2020 for failure to appear on a battery charge.  While out on pre-trial services he was charged for aggravated assault, his conditions of release were revoked, and he was court ordered to surrender on March 11 but failed to do so.  He had three active warrants for aggravated assault, battery, and possession of a controlled substance. 

No officers or uninvolved citizens were injured.  Per San Juan County Sheriff’s Office policy, the deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.  Conclusions about whether the actions of the deputies are consistent with department policy and the law will not be made until all the facts are known and the investigation is complete.

The incident remains under investigation, and further information will be provided as it becomes available. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Farmington Police Department, the primary investigating agency, at 505-599-1068.