The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office has named a person of interest in a shooting July 19 south of Durango that left a man fighting for his life.
Authorities said they are waiting for the victim’s condition to improve to continue their investigation.
Jacob Manning, 38, was at the scene when Grant Pugh, 49, was shot in the 8000 block of U.S. Highway 550, about 8 miles north of the New Mexico line. The Sheriff’s Office said no one has been arrested in connection with the incident. The Sheriff’s Office declined to comment about the weapon used or other details of the investigation.
“Manning was present when Pugh was injured,” said Chris Burke, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office. “At this point, they wouldn’t name him as a suspect until after the investigation.”
Burke said he did not have information about Pugh’s injuries or condition.
“Investigators are trying to talk to him and haven’t been able to at this point,” he said. “They’re going to keep trying to figure out his side of the story, and when that happens they can release more information.”
On the night of the shooting, Sheriff’s Office deputies took Manning to the La Plata County Jail, and the jail released him when he was sober, Burke said. According to state voter records, Manning lives at Old Homestead Mobile Home Park, which is also in the 8000 block of Highway 550. He registered a new business, Manning Mechanical, LLC, in February at the same address.
Authorities also located several witnesses at the scene but have not released names. Burke said further details are not being released because of the active investigation.
smullane@durangoherald.com