Byron Begay, 32, was fatally shot on May 10, 2022, outside the Cliffside Apartments at 602 Dani Drive in Gallup. Officers responding to eyewitness reports found Begay lying unresponsive in the road with at least two gunshot wounds to his torso; CPR was performed but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses reported the shooter fleeing in a white Ford Taurus with a New Mexico Chile plate. Police described the suspect as a thin Native American or Hispanic male with a tattoo on his right forearm and say they have identified a person of interest. Evidence has been sent to labs in Santa Fe and additional witness interviews are pending while the department consults the DA before any charging decision.

Begay’s sister, Octavia Johnson, says the community knows who is responsible and is frustrated by what she views as slow progress. The Gallup Police caution against citizens attempting to locate suspects and say no arrests have been announced. If anyone has information about Byron’s killing or the vehicle and suspect description, please share it with the Gallup Police Department.