FORT DODGE – A quiet afternoon in the quaint community of Fort Dodge was shattered after emergency calls were received about a man with a gun firing shots and running from a neighborhood.
On Saturday, July 19, 2025, at approximately 3:32 PM, the Webster County Telecommunications Center received a call of shots fired in the area of the Westridge Townhomes on Ave M West, in Fort Dodge.
Fort Dodge Police along with Webster County Deputies arrived on scene and were directed to the area that witnesses stated that a male was shooting. Witnesses stated the male fired a handgun into the air multiple times and then took off running.
Law enforcement saturated the area in an attempt to locate the suspect. A search warrant was obtained and executed at 372 Ave. M West where the suspect, 21‐year-old Benjamin Crouse (pictued at top) of Fort Dodge, Iowa, was taken into custody on the following charges:
– Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon (C felony)
– Reckless use of Firearm (Simple Misdemeanor)
This investigation is ongoing, police say. Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Fort Dodge Police.
The Fort Dodge Police Department was assisted on scene by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, the Special Emergency Response Team (S.E.R.T.), and the Fort Dodge Fire Department.