Farmington Man Arrested after Shots Fired

Taron Yazzie, 32, (Courtesy: Farmington Police Department)

Officers briefly spoke to the man, later identified as Taron Yazzie, before he retreated into the residence. To de-escalate the situation, officers backed away from the home.  A neighbor then reported a bullet hole through a side door and pantry door inside their home. Several additional neighbors began reporting that Yazzie was outside his house again firing a gun and yelling.

From Farmington Police:

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Farmington police arrested 32-year-old Taron Yazzie Sunday after neighbors reported he was firing a gun in his front yard. One of the rounds hit a neighbor’s house.

On February 7, 2021, around 1:35 p.m., officers responded to reports of a man shooting a gun in his yard at an address on Natane Ave. When officers arrived, no one was outside the house, so they attempted to contact the occupant through the intercom system in their patrol car. While officers were making announcements, the man came outside onto the front porch. Officers briefly spoke to the man, later identified as Yazzie, before he retreated into the residence. To de-escalate the situation, officers backed away from the home.  A neighbor then reported a bullet hole through a side door and pantry door inside their home. Several additional neighbors began reporting that Yazzie was outside his house again firing a gun and yelling. As the SWAT and negotiations teams responded, officers established a perimeter and directed people in homes nearby to shelter in place.  After some negotiations, Yazzie was taken into custody without incident. Yazzie was charged with one count of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or occupied building (no injury), negligent use of a deadly weapon (discharging firearm near an inhabited building), and criminal damage to property (less than $1,000). 

Chief Hebbe released the following statement about the incident, “This was a good example of our officers working hard to de-escalate a critical situation. Time and distance matter in these situations. We’re very pleased this was resolved peacefully, and I’m very proud of the officers on scene.” 

Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to call the Farmington PD tip line at 505-599-1068.

More from Local News

  • SJRMC & San Juan College agree to expand Nursing Program

    Full-time nursing faculty members will receive a $10,000 annual stipend on top of their base salary to enhance the program’s capacity. In addition, students will have an opportunity to enter into an agreement with SJRMC to receive a substantial $4,800 living stipend per semester,

  • Downtown Farmington gets National Main Street Accreditation

     Historic Downtown Farmington’s performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, and New Mexico MainStreet, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet rigorous national community evaluation standards.

  • Man Arrested for Fruitland Murder

     Following verbal arguments at the house of Adrian Begay (age 45), De Andre Julian (age 23) left with his girlfriend, Adrian Begay’s daughter, Adriana Begay (age 21) to a nearby residence. Adrian Begay followed them to the exterior of the residence when De Andre Julian produced a handgun and shot Adrian Begay multiple times in the chest at close range.

  • Arrest Made in Farmington Killing

    After a lengthy investigation, Ms. Greenfield’s death was determined to be a homicide and detectives identified 27-year-old Serrono Rippingale as the suspect. On June 26th, 2025, an arrest warrant for Murder (2nd degree felony) and Tampering with Evidence (3rd degree felony) was obtained and served on Serrono Rippingale.

  • Farmington Hires New Museum Director

     “Nathan’s expertise in the museum industry, combined with his global perspective and passion for community engagement, make him a tremendous asset to Farmington,” said Christa Chapman, Director of Cultural Affairs. “We’re excited to see how his leadership will shape the future of the Farmington Museum System.”

  • Two Dead after Officer-Involved Shooting in Farmington

    According to initial witness statements, the male subject was in the passenger seat of a vehicle being driven by a female. Witnesses reported that the vehicle moved toward law enforcement officers while the male subject attempted to climb into the driver’s seat. Shots were fired by U.S. Marshals during the incident. Both the male subject and the female driver were pronounced dead at the scene. No law enforcement personnel were injured.

On KSJE Now:

Today's Weather

  • Farmington, NM

    Sunny

    High: 93°F | Low: 57°F

  • Durango, CO

    Sunny

    High: 91°F | Low: 48°F

  • Shiprock, NM

    Sunny

    High: 97°F | Low: 59°F

  • Cortez, CO

    Sunny

    High: 91°F | Low: 54°F

  • Santa Fe, NM

    Sunny

    High: 88°F | Low: 61°F