MADISON COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — Multiple shootings leave three dead, one hospitalized in Madison County; suspect dies in custody
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A violent crime spree that began at a Midway gas station Friday morning left three people dead and one woman hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Madison County Sheriff's Office investigators.
The chaos started at 7:50 a.m. at Fraley's Food Mart, where deputies initially responded to reports of an aggravated robbery. Instead, they found a woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
"I saved that one, one was in the store. I saved her life. Holding her holding rags over where she got shot," said James Caldwell, a local resident who helped the victim. "I had stayed in there till they got here. Holding it, me and some other boy."
The woman remains hospitalized. Investigators say this wasn't a random attack - she knew the shooter and they had previously been in a relationship.
The suspect fled in a stolen pickup truck, leading deputies on a high-speed chase down FM 1119. The pursuit ended when deputies performed a PIT maneuver and arrested the suspect.
However, during intake at the county jail, the suspect suddenly became unresponsive and died. The Texas Rangers are now conducting an independent investigation into the death.
The violence didn't end there. By 10 a.m., a man was found dead on FM 2346. Three hours later, a second man was discovered nearby. Both had been shot, and investigators have linked both deaths to the same suspect.
The string of violence has shaken the small community of Midway, where Friday mornings typically involve quiet conversations over coffee and breakfast at the local food mart.
"A pretty nice town around here. There was nothing that happened in the store. But it happened now, Friday," Caldwell said.
Four crime scenes, three lives lost, and one person fighting for recovery have left Madison County residents searching for answers. Officials declined to comment on the active investigation, and many neighbors were not ready to speak publicly about the tragedy.
The Sheriff's Office indicated more information may be available early next week.
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