Fugitive Involved in Shootout with Texas Game Warden Captured

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AUSTIN – Texas game wardens, with assistance from U.S. Marshalls and the Dallas Police Department, have taken into custody a suspect involved in a firefight with law enforcement following a shooting incident at a bar in the West Texas town of Haskell early Sunday morning.

The suspect, identified as Encarnacio Ortiz Jr., 49, was captured in south Dallas earlier today without incident, and is being held on $1 million bond in the Dallas County Jail. He is charged with aggravated assault of a public servant with a deadly weapon.

Ortiz allegedly entered a local bar in Haskell shortly after midnight Sunday, brandished a handgun and discharged several rounds. No one was injured during the incident, and Ortiz fled the scene.

A Haskell County game warden and Haskell Police Department officer responded to the shots fired call and located the suspect driving a vehicle on the northern end of the city. Officers attempted to pull over the vehicle, and when the suspect did not comply, a Haskell police officer rammed the suspect vehicle to attempt to end the pursuit. The suspect immediately fired shots at the police officer, at which point the officers returned fire. The suspect was able to drive his vehicle a short distance away from the scene and fled on foot. He was located in south Dallas following a two-day manhunt by state and local law enforcement.