On April 21, 2024, at approximately 2:00 a.m., Lubbock Police Department officers responded to reports of shots fired near the 2200 block of Interstate 27, close to the Depot Entertainment District. Upon arrival, they discovered 34-year-old Lorenzo Rene Soto with a gunshot wound. Soto was promptly transported to University Medical Center, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Investigations revealed that prior to the shooting, a physical altercation had occurred inside a nearby nightclub, identified as Cowpokes. Security personnel intervened and escorted the involved individuals outside. However, a second confrontation ensued in the parking lot, during which Soto approached a group near a white Ford F150 truck, seeking clarification about the earlier incident involving his family members. A verbal dispute escalated between Soto and one of the individuals, leading to Soto allegedly punching a man in the face. In response, 26-year-old Doroteo Alonso, positioned in the rear passenger seat of the truck, discharged a firearm, striking Soto.
Following the shooting, Alonso fled the scene, crossing Interstate 27 on foot and discarding the firearm in a fenced business area near 19th Street and Avenue E, where it was later recovered by authorities. On May 15, 2024, the Lubbock Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit, in coordination with the Texas Anti-Gang Center, apprehended Alonso in Snyder, Texas. He was charged with murder and booked into the Scurry County Jail on a $300,000 bond.
Alonso claimed he acted in self-defense, stating he feared for his life during the altercation. He alleged that after Soto struck his brother, he observed Soto reaching for his pocket, prompting him to fire the weapon. Despite these claims, Alonso was indicted on a murder charge in June 2024.
Lorenzo Rene Soto, born on May 10, 1989, was a resident of Post, Texas. He is survived by his wife, Irene, and their two children. Funeral services were held on May 4, 2024, at the School Auditorium in Post, followed by interment at Terrace Cemetery.
