Fort Bliss soldiers are victim, suspect in bar shooting; Army probe underway

UPDATE, July 26: Investigators on Monday identified two Fort Bliss soldiers as the pair of 26-year-olds involved in a weekend parking lot shooting that followed a fight on the patio at the Draft House Bar on George Dieter in east El Paso.

El Paso police said the victim, 26–year-old U.S. Army Sgt. Marcus Joseph Slaton, remained hospitalized with rifle wounds to both arms, but was uncooperative with detectives. His injuries were non-life threatening, the military said.

Authorities indicated that Slaton declined to press assault charges against the man who shot him; police said the attacker was also a 26-year-old Fort Bliss soldier assigned to the 1st Armored Division, but they didn't provide his name because he had since been released from custody after initially turning himself in to county sheriff's deputies.

In a statement, though, police said the investigation into the case remained ongoing and other charges were pending. Authorities didn't elaborate on what those charges might be.

A military spokesman said the U.S. Army's Criminal Investigation Division was conducting a concurrent investigation into the shooting along with El Paso police.

ORIGINAL REPORT, July 25: EL PASO, Texas -- A 26-year-old man was wounded and another 26-year-old man was arrested following an overnight shooting at bar closing time in east El Paso.

Police said the shooting occurred outside the El Paso Draft House about 2:10 a.m. Sunday at 1798 George Dieter Drive.

The 26-year-old victim went to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, authorities indicated, while the 26-year-old suspected shooter was taken into custody at the scene.

The names of the victim and suspect were not provided by police.

Investigators didn't reveal a motive for the shooting and no further details were immediately available.