Oklahoma cowboy killed in 'drive-by' Midland shooting
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) - Family members have now identified an Oklahoma man who was tragically killed after a drive-by shooting on Mother's Day in Midland.
The Midland County Sheriff's Office was called out to a shooting on the morning of May 12.
At the scene, investigators found 26-year-old Oklahoman Austin Winn dead from a gunshot wound.
Family members of Austin continue to look for answers.
Witnesses at the scene say Winn was found in a vehicle near a truck stop off of 1788. Last week, deputies said in a statement “Foul play is suspected and this case is being worked as a homicide."
"There was an employee inside the store that heard gunshots and called the police," said Austin's Sister, Ashlyn Winn Jones.
Family members say this was a drive-by shooting and they're looking for the person or people responsible.
"My brother had got off at I-20 in 1788 and he had just sent my mom a text telling her 'Happy Mother's Day', he'd be home, you know, at 9:37 is when he sent that message to her. He had been on the phone with his girlfriend, you know, talking to her, telling her the same thing and that he would see her, you know, that night. The sheriff showed up to my parents between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. telling them that, um, you know, my brother was found dead outside the truck," said Jones.
They said Austin is from Tecumseh, Oklahoma, and was hauling horses through West Texas in his rig at the time of his death.
"He had been to Presidio, and he always comes home and that's an area (Midland) that he stops to get fuel on his way home. He runs that route anywhere from one to three times a week, that same route," said Jones.
This was not anything our of the ordinary for Austin, his family said.
"It's three generations that have hauled horses and cattle. Our grandpa for 40 years, my dad is still hauling horses and then my brother had started hauling horses and cattle. With my husband working in the oil field, our family's down in Midland/Odessa all the time and it, I mean, it wasn't anything new for him to be, be there," said Jones.
Loved ones said in a statement, “Our family is getting money together for a reward, the amount is not info I have at this time, but there will be one. Please help us get justice.”
In lieu of flowers for Austin's memory, the family has requested that contributions be made to the reward fund set up at First National Bank, 130 e. Macarthur St., Shawnee, OK 74804 in the name of Austin Winn.
