NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A man has pleaded guilty in an assault and shooting case. The US Department of Justice said Deon Bidtah, 24, of Shiprock, will stay in custody until he’s sentenced.
Bidtah was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer with a weapon.
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The charges stemmed from an incident in October 2022. Court records alleged Bidtah, a member of the Navajo Nation, approached a vehicle at his home in Shiprock and fired a shotgun at the vehicle. The driver was injured and taken to the hospital.
Navajo Nation officers responded, and Bidtah reportedly fired the shotgun toward them. They asked Bidtah to drop his weapon, but they claimed he didn’t and tried to approach them. Bidtah was shot by an officer and hospitalized.
Bidtah faces at least 10 years in prison. He will have to serve five years of supervised release.
