Armed man killed by sheriff's deputies reportedly threw non-working grenade during standoff

• Tedman Werito, 44, was shot and killed around 10:57 a.m. on Sept. 13 by deputies for the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office at a residence on County Road 3935.
• The investigation started around 1:33 a.m. on Sept. 13 when Farmington Police Department officers were dispatched to a severely injured woman found in the area of South Dustin Road and Almon Street.
• “Werito began going in and out of the residence, brandished a firearm, and threw a grenade at deputies,” the news release stated.

FARMINGTON — A man was shot to death by sheriff’s deputies after he pointed a firearm at them during a standoff in which he also threw a chemically inactive grenade at them, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.

Tedman Werito, 44, was shot and killed around 10:57 a.m. on Sept. 13 by Sheriff’s deputies at a residence on County Road 3935 in the Wildflower area, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.

No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

The investigation started around 1:33 a.m. on Sept. 13 when Farmington Police Department officers were dispatched to investigate a report of a severely injured woman found in the area of South Dustin Road and Almon Street.

Investigators learned Werito was one of two men who were accused of beating the woman at a residence in the Wildflower area, just east of Farmington.

Jimmy Begay, 57, was the second man police suspect of involvement in the battery. He was arrested after the shooting, according to Sheriff's Office spokesperson Kristi Hughes.

The injured woman was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center for surgery, where she was treated for a broken femur and excessive blood loss.

Deputies obtained a search warrant for the residence where the alleged battery occurred on County Road 3935.

Law enforcement arrived around 9:06 a.m. at the residence, and the occupants were ordered to exit the home.

Werito was one of six people to leave the residence. Begay was also one of the men inside the residence.

Werito then made verbal threats toward deputies and returned inside the residence, stating he would get a gun, according to the news release.

This created a standoff as law enforcement tried to get Werito to exit the residence again. 

“Werito began going in and out of the residence, brandished a firearm, and threw a grenade at deputies,” the news release stated. The grenade did not explode and was later determined to be inert.

Deputies used two flash bangs and tear gas to get Werito out of the residence. When Werito exited the building, he pointed a firearm at deputies, who then fired on him, the release stated.

The news release did not disclose how many deputies fired on Werito or how many shots were fired at suspect. Werito died at the scene from his injuries. 

He had three arrest warrants active at the time of the shooting, according to the news release.

An unknown number of deputies have been placed on administrative leave following the shooting.

The last law enforcement shooting involving the Sheriff’s Office occurred on July 11, when 36-year-old Shawn Thomas was shot and killed along U.S. Highway 64 near Waterflow following a high-speed pursuit from Shiprock, according to The Daily Times archives.

Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.

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