CORRECTION: Because of incorrect information provided to the Portland Press Herald by the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, an earlier version of this story misidentified the man who shot Stephen Davis. The man is Alvin Chase Sr., 74. His son, Alvin Chase Jr., was also present at the hunt.

Texas authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of a Connecticut state trooper by a Maine man during a hunting trip along the Rio Grande over the weekend.

The Maverick County Sheriff’s Office said Alvin Chase Sr., 74, of Warren, Maine, shot and killed a member of his hunting party Saturday. Chase, who told police it was an accident, hasn’t been charged.

The victim, 50-year-old Stephen Davis of Hebron, Connecticut, was a 27-year veteran of the Connecticut State Police.

Chase and Davis were in the same party hunting wild boar on the Cinco Ranch in Maverick County around sundown Saturday. Chase told police he thought he was shooting at a wild hog in the brush and didn’t realize it was Davis, who investigators said was wearing a black shirt.

Alvin Chase Jr. who was in the hunting party, declined to discuss what happened when reached by telephone Tuesday night.

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Deputies were called to the Cinco Ranch to investigate “an accidental shooting” about 6:34 p.m. Saturday. A statement posted on the sheriff department’s website said deputies met with Border Patrol agents, who guided them to the scene of the shooting.

Deputies said they found Davis lying in the brush, face up and unresponsive. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his torso.

A justice of the peace declared Davis dead at 7:22 p.m. Saturday.

POLICE TO INTERVIEW MORE WITNESSES

The sheriff’s department said Chase told them he thought he was shooting at a wild hog and accidentally hit Davis.

Schmerber said the shooting appears to be accidental but remains under investigation by Joe Sanchez of the Texas Rangers.

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Schmerber said Cinco Ranch is a sprawling, privately owned property on the Rio Grande River where people can hunt deer in the winter and wild boar year-round.

Schmerber said the men were part of the same hunting party but got separated. Chase told police he fired when he saw movement in the brush.

“The sun was going down and things were starting to look a little different,” Schmerber said.

Sanchez, the Texas Ranger assigned to investigate the shooting, said he still has witnesses to interview before he decides whether to bring charges against Chase. Sanchez said he was told that there were several people in Davis’ hunting party.

“To be honest with you, the investigation is still ongoing,” Sanchez said Tuesday. “I still have a couple of pending interviews.”

Sanchez said he has not spoken directly with Chase because he was investigating a homicide Saturday, and wasn’t able to visit the shooting scene at Cinco Ranch until Sunday.

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Sanchez said hunters hire guides to take them to hunting locations on Cinco Ranch, which is on the border with Mexico.

TROOPER WELL-LIKED, SAVED A PERSON’S LIFE

According to its website, Cinco Ranch is in El Indio, Texas. It describes itself as a working ranch with hunting and cattle operations. The property is owned by the O’Brien Cinco Cattle Co.

The ranch says it offers plentiful game and spectacular vistas overlooking miles of Rio Grande  frontage. The ranch offers guided deer hunts as well as turkey and hog hunts in the “Golden Triangle” region of South Texas.

The Associated Press reported that Davis was a trooper 1st class who had been on the force for nearly three decades. Davis began his career with the state police in 1988. He worked out of the Troop C barracks in Tolland, Connecticut.

Connecticut State Police told the Hartford Courant newspaper that Davis “served with distinction and was well-liked by troopers and administrators at Troop C and throughout the agency.” He once earned a medal for saving a person’s life.

“Trooper Davis was truly passionate about being a trooper and his attention to detail was superb. Stephen was a true professional and a well-respected member of this department,” Lt. Scott Smith, commanding officer of Troop C, told the Courant.

 


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