LINDEN, Texas – An ongoing grudge between two men may have prompted one to shoot the other at 1:45 p.m. Sunday in a Dairy Queen parking lot, according to police.
Jason Charlton, 33, was shot in the chest allegedly by longtime associate James Lee Tucker, 40. Both men reside in Linden. Charlton was airlifted to a Longview hospital where he remains in critical condition.
Tucker is in the Cass County Jail on a $500,000 bond and was charged with aggravated assault.
“It looks like they’ve been having some problems over the last two months,” said Linden Chief of Police Alton McWaters.
“The suspect said he feared for his life. Apparently, Jason Charlton approached James Tucker’s car with Tucker’s wife and daughter inside. Tucker then pulled out a gun and shot Charlton. James Tucker said Jason Charlton was the aggressor. It all depends upon who you talk to.”
Chief McWaters said there were very few witnesses to the scene.
“After Charlton got shot, Tucker went into a nearby store and told the person inside to call 911. He said to say that ‘he had shot somebody,’” Chief McWaters said.
Chief McWaters said he’s had reporters from all over the country calling him about the shooting.
“I’ve even had people calling me from New York City. You’d think they’d have enough shootings of their own.”
