Warrant issued for Aneth man in connection to shooting at law enforcement officials

A federal warrant has been issued for the arrest of an Aneth man after gunshots were fired at law enforcement officials on April 30.
Cecil Vijil Jr faces a host of federal charges, including assault on a federal officer and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Vijil, who is in his mid 30s, was identified as the man who brandished an AR-style rifle and fired multiple rounds at two law enforcement officials, including FBI Special Agent Rachel Butler and a San Juan County Sheriff’s Deputy.
The officials were in Aneth to question Vijil and another Aneth-area resident, Gary Lee Jr, about an AR-style rifle shooting at the Mexican Hat 7-11 earlier in the day.
In a complaint filed in federal court, Butler stated that when the officers arrived, Vijil appeared at the door of the home and withdrew back into the residence.
The complaint continues, “Within seconds, Vijil reappeared from behind the residence with an AR-style rifle” and fired multiple rounds at the officers and their vehicle.
As the officers moved the vehicle to avoid the shots, Butler “saw Vijil reposition himself and his firearm so as to secure a better platform for firing his rifle…. (Butler) believed she was about to be shot.”
No one was hit by the shots. The shooting occurred at 3:20 p.m. on Thursday, April 30.
Vijil and Lee reportedly fled the area in a black pickup truck with Colorado plate WAO698.
Anyone with information about the men or their whereabouts should call 911, the San Juan County Sheriff Office at 435-587-2237, or the FBI at 801-579-1400.
A helicopter from the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) was dispatched to aid in the search on Thursday evening. The air search was abandoned after several hours of searching.
The two are suspected of being involved at an incident at the Mexican Hat 7-11 on Sunday, April 26, where beer sales were refused because the customer who did not have proper identification.
They left after making threats to the store. On Thursday morning, a series of shots were fired at the 7-11 store.
Video footage from Mexican Hat was used to trace the vehicle to the home in Aneth.
The search is continuing in earnest. San Juan County Sheriff Jason Torgerson said that the law enforcement agencies are anxious to apprehend the suspects and take them off the streets.
They should be considered armed and dangerous.
Agencies involved in the search include the FBI, Navajo Nation Police Department, San Juan County Sheriff Office, Utah Highway Patrol, Utah Department of Public Safety, and more.
The FBI is taking the lead in the multiple-agency investigation that crosses state lines and extends on and off of the Navajo Nation.