Montague County Deputy Shot & Killed
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NOCONA (CBSDFW.COM) - The Montague County Sheriff's Office confirmed early Monday morning that a deputy was shot and killed in the overnight hours. The incident happened shortly after midnight at the deputy's home, located along Jordan Drive.
The deputy has been identified as 41-year-old Larry Bryan Hostetter. He had been a police officer since 2000, and with the Montague County Sheriff's Office since January 2013.
An officer with the Nocona Police Department was dispatched to Hostetter's house about a disturbance call, according to Chief Kent Holcomb. That officer is fine, but further details surrounding the shooting have not been released and are being kept private until the investigation is complete.
The Texas Rangers are handling this case. The responding officer is now on paid administrative leave.
Officials have not said who fired the shots that killed Hostetter, but Holcomb added that there is no search for an active shooter and that the community is not in any danger.
Hostetter was pronounced dead just after 1:00 a.m. at Nocona General Hospital. He was married and had four kids and two stepkids.
"It's difficult," said Sheriff Paul Cunningham on Monday, pausing to fight back tears. His office only had seven deputies total, and he compared them to his children. "Small departments are family."
Cunningham said that he last spoke with Hostetter in the office last week. "Larry was a good person," Cunningham said about his training officer. It was Hostetter's job to teach rookies. "He enjoyed the job, loved the job."
"We want to offer our thoughts and prayers to the families involved in this incident," added Holcomb.