A La Plata County man was shot once in the chest Tuesday morning near Oxford in what is being investigated as an attempted homicide northwest of Ignacio.

The victim was identified as Michael Mounts, 57, who was treated and released from Mercy Regional Medical Center. Efforts to reach Mounts for comment were unsuccessful Tuesday.

The shooting was reported about 6:09 a.m. in the 10000 block of Colorado Highway 172, between Oxford and Ignacio, said Dan Bender, spokesman with the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.

No arrests had been made as of Tuesday evening.

“Part of the investigation is attempting to identify a potential suspect or suspects,” Bender said. “There’s nothing to indicate that people who live in the area need to be in fear. It seems to be an isolated, specific incident.”

Authorities released few details about the shooting. But according to a Durango-La Plata County CrimeStoppers poster released Tuesday afternoon, Mounts was shot through his front door.

“The victim did not see the person who shot him,” Bender said. “From what we know in our investigation at this time, we don’t believe it was a random shooting.”

Mounts has been cooperative with the investigation, he said.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious or unusual between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 10000 block of Highway 172 is asked to call investigators at 382-7052.

shane@durangoherald.com