Five dead, 21 injured in shooting in Texas; suspect killed
Midland Odessa shooting (image courtesy Melissa Taylor)
MIDLAND and ODESSA, Texas (Fox 32 News) - An active shooter killed at least five people and left 21 others injured in the Midland/Odessa, Texas, area on Saturday afternoon before he was shot dead at a movie theater.
The killer was identified as a white man in his 30's, police said. His name was not released.
There were few details officially released about the victims, though some local media reported that a 17-month-old child was among those shot. Three law enforcement officers were also wounded.
The shooting began on Saturday afternoon when Texas Department of Public Safety troopers pulled the killer over for a traffic stop after he failed to signal a left turn. There, he opened fire on law enforcement through the rear window of his car, wounding one trooper. That trooper was listed in serious but stable condition Saturday night.
The killer then continued to rampage through the Odessa and Midland areas. There were conflicting reports early on about whether there were two shooters in two different cars. However, police said later that the killer had dumped his first vehicle and stolen a USPS truck, which was why there were reports of two shooters in two cars.
"A subject (possibly 2) is currently driving around Odessa shooting at random people. At this time there are multiple gunshot victims," said Odessa Police on Facebook earlier Saturday. They said that the shooter hijacked a US mail carrier truck and was in the area of 38th and Walnut.
The Midland Police Department also said earlier Saturday that there were reports of two shooters in two separate vehicles. "The two vehicles in question are: gold/white small Toyota truck and a USPS Postal Van," police said on Facebook. "One suspect is believed to be at the Cinergy in Midland and the other is believed to be driving on Loop 250 in Midland."
Again, police later said that the suspect had stolen the second vehicle and shot several victims as he rampaged through the area.
The shooting comes just four weeks after a gunman in the Texas border city of El Paso killed 22 people after opening fire at a Walmart.
The ATF said that agents helped with the response to the shooting on IH-20 near Odessa.
Police in both locations, as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety, had warned the public to stay indoors and stay away from any active scenes.
Students and staff at the University of Texas Permian Basin in Odessa were told to stay in their dorm rooms or offices and not open the doors.
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