Man arrested in Prewitt shooting

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — Police arrested a McKinley County man in connection with a shooting in the Prewitt area.

Tribal authorities arrested Nathan Gaddy when he surrendered to police Friday.

Sgt. Melinda Billy-James, of the Crownpoint District of the Navajo Police, said Gaddy was arraigned this morning on charges of aggravated battery and unlawful use of a weapon.

The victim in the case was taken to a Cibola County hospital after he was shot in the groin at a Rural Address 53

Woodview Road at about 6 p.m. Friday. Tribal authorities did not immediately release the victim’s name. His condition was not known as of 10:30 a.m.

According to a witness, two suspects fled the scene following the shooting. One was identified as Nathan Gaddy, according to a back-up police report released by the McKinley County Sheriff’s Department.

The agency assisted officers from the Crownpoint Police District with the incident; however, tribal authorities took custody of Gaddy once he surrendered.

Prior to his arrest, deputies traveled to Gaddy’s last listed address at 94C Chavez Road and spoke with Gaddy’s wife Marcella Vanderver.

“I asked if these suspects live there, she advised ‘yes’ and that Nathan was in Colorado working,” Deputy Pat Martinez wrote in the report.

Police left the residence and spoke with another woman who reported taking Gaddy to Thoreau that day. He reportedly had a .22-caliber rifle and bullets in his possession

Deputies visited Gaddy’s grandmother’s residence and learned he planned to surrender to police.