Texas state judge shot outside her home

A Texas judge has been shot and wounded in the driveway of her West Austin home, police say.

State District Judge Julie Kocurek, the presiding felony judge for Travis County, was shot late Friday and hospitalized with injuries, but in stable condition.

“This injury, although extremely serious, does not appear to be life-threatening at this time,” Austin police Cmdr. Mark Spangler said.

Kocurek was wounded shortly after 10 p.m. upon returning home in the well-to-do Terrytown neighborhood. She was accompanied by others when she was shot, but no one else was wounded.

A large manhunt began Friday night, but police have not arrested any suspect as of midday Saturday.

“At this point we don’t have a lot of information about the suspect,” Spangler said, providing no further details about motive or information from the scene. “Unfortunately, this occurred during the darkness.”

Kocurek, a former prosecutor, was appointed to the 390th District court in Travis County in 1999 by then-Gov. George W. Bush. Later, she became the only Republican elected to a state district judgeship in the county. In 2006, she switched parties and became a Democrat.

“Our hearts go out to Judge Kocurek and her family. We wish her a speedy recovery,” the Texas Democratic Party tweeted Saturday.

“It’s the most shocking news I have ever received,” District Judge David Wahlberg said. “Judge Kocurek is a wonderful woman. It’s unfathomable to think that anyone would be angry with her. We are all praying for her.”