Man arrested after shooting at City Market to be arraigned next month

Victim expected to survive

By Katherine Nettles

The 22-year-old man who was arrested in connection with a shooting in the parking lot at City Market in Gunnison last Friday has been released on bail and faces arraignment next month. The Gunnison Police department reported that on Friday, January 23 at about 4:30 p.m., several subjects at the gas pumps became involved in an argument and one of the people involved produced a handgun. Another man, 21 years of age, who was involved in the dispute, was shot multiple times during the incident and was taken to Gunnison Valley Health hospital. He was injured but expected to survive, according to police. No other details about the injured party’s condition are available.

Suspected shooter Naji Wedderburn was arrested after officers and sheriff’s deputies were able to locate him traveling north on Highway 135. He was taken into custody and booked in the Gunnison County jail for charges of first degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon.

Gunnison Police chief Sam Costello said he could not disclose many details about the incident, witnesses or the ongoing investigation, but no other arrests were made.

“City Market remained open for the duration of the incident and investigation,” Costello wrote in an email to the Crested Butte News. “There is no known serious damage to any property at City Market. The traffic stop on Highway 135 just north of city limits wherein the subject was detained (and later arrested) was immediately contemporaneous to the incident.”

Costello continued, “The subject we believe fired the gun, actually self-reported the incident via 911, although he was not the only reporting person. Responding officers included at least five Gunnison Police officers, supervisors, investigators and on-duty Gunnison County Sheriff’s deputies. There were no known physical injuries to the subject before or after he was taken into custody.”

According to the Gunnison Police Department arrest report, Wedderburn is a resident of Brooklyn, New York. He was released from Gunnison County Jail on January 24 after posting bail, set at $60,000. Wedderburn is scheduled for arraignment in Gunnison County District Court on February 10 at 9 a.m.