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| Texas prosecutor and wife killed in 'targeted act' two months after assistant's death | Texas prosecutor and wife killed in 'targeted act' two months after assistant's death |
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| A Texas prosecutor and his wife were shot dead in a "targeted act" that comes just two months after one of his assistants was killed as he walked to his office, authorities said Sunday. | A Texas prosecutor and his wife were shot dead in a "targeted act" that comes just two months after one of his assistants was killed as he walked to his office, authorities said Sunday. |
| Kaufman County district attorney Mike McLelland, 63, and his wife, Cynthia, 65, were found at their home with fatal gunshot wounds Saturday. On January 31, Kaufman County assistant district attorney Mark Hasse was also shot and killed near the courthouse in the small Texas town outside Dallas. McLelland (pictured below) had vowed to arrest the "scum" responsible for that murder. No arrests have been made in that case. | Kaufman County district attorney Mike McLelland, 63, and his wife, Cynthia, 65, were found at their home with fatal gunshot wounds Saturday. On January 31, Kaufman County assistant district attorney Mark Hasse was also shot and killed near the courthouse in the small Texas town outside Dallas. McLelland (pictured below) had vowed to arrest the "scum" responsible for that murder. No arrests have been made in that case. |
| Sheriff David Byrnes said precautions were being taken to protect other local officials and there would be increased security at the courthouse. "It's pretty obvious it's unnerving," he said at a press conference Sunday. "We are striving to assure the community that we are providing public safety." | Sheriff David Byrnes said precautions were being taken to protect other local officials and there would be increased security at the courthouse. "It's pretty obvious it's unnerving," he said at a press conference Sunday. "We are striving to assure the community that we are providing public safety." |
| According to the Dallas Morning News, the bodies of the McLellands were discovered in the hallway of their home Saturday by a police officer friend who had come to check on them. | According to the Dallas Morning News, the bodies of the McLellands were discovered in the hallway of their home Saturday by a police officer friend who had come to check on them. |
| Darren Rozell, mayor of nearby Forney, said the attack "appears to be a targeted act" and urged the unincorporated area's 40,000 residents to stay calm. "Everybody's a little on edge and a little shocked," Rozell said. "It appears this was not a random act." | Darren Rozell, mayor of nearby Forney, said the attack "appears to be a targeted act" and urged the unincorporated area's 40,000 residents to stay calm. "Everybody's a little on edge and a little shocked," Rozell said. "It appears this was not a random act." |
| Sam Rosander, who lives in the same unincorporated area of Kaufman County as the McLellands, told the Associated Press that sheriff's deputies were parked in the district attorney's driveway for about a month after Hasse was killed. The DA had also armed himself for protection, telling reporters that he carried a gun everywhere and took extra care when opening the door at his home following his assistant's death. | Sam Rosander, who lives in the same unincorporated area of Kaufman County as the McLellands, told the Associated Press that sheriff's deputies were parked in the district attorney's driveway for about a month after Hasse was killed. The DA had also armed himself for protection, telling reporters that he carried a gun everywhere and took extra care when opening the door at his home following his assistant's death. |
| "I'm ahead of everybody else because, basically, I'm a soldier," the 23-year army veteran boasted in an interview less than two weeks ago. | "I'm ahead of everybody else because, basically, I'm a soldier," the 23-year army veteran boasted in an interview less than two weeks ago. |
| Byrnes declined to comment on security arrangements ahead of the shooting and would not go into detail as to the measures now being brought in to protect other individuals. | Byrnes declined to comment on security arrangements ahead of the shooting and would not go into detail as to the measures now being brought in to protect other individuals. |
| He added that there was nothing that indicated a link between the two incidents "for sure" but others indicated that investigators are working on that assumption. | He added that there was nothing that indicated a link between the two incidents "for sure" but others indicated that investigators are working on that assumption. |
| Kaufman police chief Chris Aulbaugh told The Dallas Morning News: "It was a shock with Mark Hasse, and now you can just imagine the double shock and until we know what happened, I really can't confirm that it's related but you always have to assume until it's proven otherwise." | Kaufman police chief Chris Aulbaugh told The Dallas Morning News: "It was a shock with Mark Hasse, and now you can just imagine the double shock and until we know what happened, I really can't confirm that it's related but you always have to assume until it's proven otherwise." |
| In December the Texas department of public safety issued a state-wide bulletin warning that authorities had received "credible information" that white supremacist group the Aryan Brotherhood was planning retaliation against law enforcement officials following indictments of dozens of its members in Houston. | In December the Texas department of public safety issued a state-wide bulletin warning that authorities had received "credible information" that white supremacist group the Aryan Brotherhood was planning retaliation against law enforcement officials following indictments of dozens of its members in Houston. |
| "High ranking members … are involved in issuing orders to inflict 'mass casualties or death' to law enforcement officials who were involved in cases where Aryan Brotherhood of Texas are facing life sentences or the death penalty," the bulletin stated. | "High ranking members … are involved in issuing orders to inflict 'mass casualties or death' to law enforcement officials who were involved in cases where Aryan Brotherhood of Texas are facing life sentences or the death penalty," the bulletin stated. |
| McLelland himself had raised the possibility that his assistant was gunned down by the white supremacist gang. | McLelland himself had raised the possibility that his assistant was gunned down by the white supremacist gang. |
| Hasse was formerly the chief of the organised crime unit in Dallas County and he handled similar cases in Kaufman County. | Hasse was formerly the chief of the organised crime unit in Dallas County and he handled similar cases in Kaufman County. |
| The killings also follow the March 19 murder of Colorado Department of Corrections head Tom Clements, who was shot dead after answering the doorbell at his home. | The killings also follow the March 19 murder of Colorado Department of Corrections head Tom Clements, who was shot dead after answering the doorbell at his home. |
| US authorities have linked Evan Spencer Ebel, a former Colorado inmate and white supremacist, to the death of Clements and a pizza deliveryman two days earlier. Ebel was killed in a shootout with Texas deputies about 100m (160km) from Kaufman. | US authorities have linked Evan Spencer Ebel, a former Colorado inmate and white supremacist, to the death of Clements and a pizza deliveryman two days earlier. Ebel was killed in a shootout with Texas deputies about 100m (160km) from Kaufman. |
| McLelland and his wife have two daughters and three sons. One son is a police officer in Dallas. | McLelland and his wife have two daughters and three sons. One son is a police officer in Dallas. |
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