Shiprock Man Charged with Assault After Shots Fired at Pedestrian

ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after he allegedly fired multiple shots at an unsuspecting pedestrian.

According to court records, on March 13, 2025, the Navajo Nation Police responded to a shots-fired report. Isaiah Benally, 33, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly fired multiple shots at a passerby who escaped unharmed despite bullets striking nearby. Benally was taken into custody by the Navajo Nation SWAT team after a brief standoff. Inside his residence, officers found body armor and firearm accessories. Benally has a history of arrests for aggravated battery and assault.

Benally will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Benally faces up to 10 years in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.