Grapple over gun leaves one dead

At approximately 9 p.m. on Friday June 14, shots rang out in Cass County over the weekend leaving multiple injured and one dead. Initial reports were that there were two gunshot victims, one being shot in the head and the other sustaining gunshot wounds to the chest area. It was later revealed that there was a third gunshot victim and four individuals in total were present at the time of the shooting.

The shooting began inside a Ford F-150 which contained four occupants, according to Cass County Sheriff ’s Office. The truck was traveling on U.S. Highway 59, just south of Linden, where an altercation occurred which led to a grapple over a gun. The driver of the F150 was uninjured by the gunfire. Two of the three passengers, all rear-seated, sustained injuries, and one was killed.

“It is alleged that one of the occupants pulled out a gun, resulting in a fight over the weapon, which led to several shots being fired,” according to a CCSO press release. “Three individuals in the backseat sustained injuries from the gunfire,” Christopher Escobar, of Elsa, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other two backseat passengers were taken to a local hospital. One was treated and released, while the other was in stable condition at press time Monday.

CCSO said there have been no arrests and could not reveal the name of the driver or other occupants other than the deceased. It is unknown at this time if any other weapons were involved.

Chief Deputy Rex Bloodworth said the shooting remains under investigation.