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1 suspect in custody; Texas Rangers continue to investigate deadly shooting in Morton - KCBD.com

1 suspect in custody; Texas Rangers continue to investigate deadly shooting in Morton - KCBD.com

Texas Rangers are investigating a deadly shooting in Morton that killed two people in the early morning hours of Sunday, August 30, with one suspect now in custody, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Cochran County Sheriff's Office. Morton sits about 60 miles west of Lubbock in Cochran County, a small farming community where news like this hits close for a lot of West Texas families.

Morton sits about 60 miles west of Lubbock in Cochran County, a small farming community where news like this hits close for a lot of West Texas families. The Cochran County Sheriff's Office said Monday morning that one suspect had been taken into custody and described the shooting as an isolated incident with no further threat to the area.

No additional details about the victims, the suspect, or what led to the shooting have been released. The Texas Rangers, the state's premier criminal investigation unit, are handling the case, which suggests the scope of the inquiry may extend beyond local resources.

For people in Morton, the Sheriff's Office statement that this was isolated is likely the most reassuring line in any update so far. Two deaths in a town that small is a significant loss. The investigation is still active and developing, so answers about motive and circumstances are not yet public.

Cochran County's total population hovers around 2,500 people, meaning two violent deaths in a single incident reaches nearly every family there in some way.

Common questions

Is the Morton shooting suspect still on the loose?

No. The Cochran County Sheriff's Office confirmed Monday that one suspect has been taken into custody. Authorities also stated the shooting was an isolated incident and that there is no further threat to the surrounding area.

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