April 07, 2020 / By mobanmarket
ODESSA, TX — A shooter driving while firing at other motorists, residents and shoppers in the Odessa and Midland area in West Texas on Saturday killed seven people and wounded at least 22 others before he was killed by police in a gun battle, according to authorities.
Odessa police said an officer fatally shot the gunman, later identified as Odessa resident Seth Aaron Ator, 36, according to media reports.
Three law enforcement officers were reported among the wounded. By Sunday, officials raised the death count to seven from a previously reported five fatalities. One of the victims died overnight, according to city spokesman Devin Sanchez.
Related: Gunman Identified In West Texas Mass Shooting
The Houston Chronicle reported that as of Sunday morning, Midland Memorial and Medical Center Hospital in Odessa had treated 20 gunshot victims. Odessa police spokesman Steve LeSueur told media outlets on Sunday that at least one other person is in “life-threatening” condition.
Among the injured was a 17-month-old baby girl who was initially taken to Medical Center Hospital before being transported to UMC Health System in Lubbock, Texas, about 140 miles away. The child, Anderson Davis, had shrapnel in her chest, a hole in her lower lip and her front teeth knocked out, according to a narrative in a GoFundMe page created to raise money to help defray medical costs.
Photo of Anderson Davis via GoFundMe, a Patch promotional partner.
“Anderson is alive and that is a prayer answered bigger than I’ve ever had to pray,” the child’s mother wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Her vitals are good. She is being flown to Lubbock while we drive. Not getting to fly with her is beyond painful.”
At last check, the campaign had raised $157,454 of a $200,000 goal from among some 3,000 donors.
Odessa police confirmed in a statement there are multiple gunshot victims. Officials added that the suspect hijacked a U.S. mail carrier truck and was last seen in the area of 38th and Walnut before being shot.
Odessa police said the shooter was stopped for a traffic stop when the driver opened fire on the trooper and fled westbound. The shooter fired at innocent people before heading to the Cinergy in Midland.
The suspect fired at officers from both departments before he was shot and killed. Officials described the gunman as a white man in his 30s. Midland Police said a suspect was killed at the Cinergy theater and entertainment complex in Midland.
The chief of the Odessa Police Department, Michael Gerke, said a motive for the shooting is unknown. The attack began as a traffic stop, The Times reported, the chief noted, adding that there had been unconfirmed reports of a second gunman. The report later was debunked as the product of a chaotic situation.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a statement in the wake of the shooting: “I am horrified to see such a senseless act terrorize the fine people of the Permian Basin. Thank you to the courageous local and state first responders who worked quickly today to stop this evil attack. I have asked my law enforcement division and my crime victims services team to assist in any way necessary. Please join Angela and me as we pray for comfort for those who have been impacted by this violent act.”
Texas presidential candidates Beto O’Rourke and Julian Castro both issued brief statements via Twitter.
“Heartbreaking news out of Odessa and Midland, Texas as police search for an active shooter at-large,” Castro said. “Stay indoors and monitor news alerts and safety protocols.”
O’Rourke noted more information was forthcoming “but here’s what we know: We need to end this epidemic.”
President Donald Trump reportedly was briefed on the situation.
“Just briefed by Attorney General Barr about the shootings in Texas,” Trump said in a tweet. “FBI and Law Enforcement is fully engaged. More to follow.”
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin was put on lockdown.
The university issued the following message to the community:
“Falcons: law enforcement in Midland and Odessa are working to locate and contain a shooter. Please stay in your dorm or office and do not open your doors. There were initial reports that the suspect was in east odessa. We will post here as soon as the situation is under control”
“The First Lady and I are heartbroken over this senseless and cowardly act, and we offer our unwavering support to the victims, their families, and all the people of Midland and Odessa,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. “The state of Texas and the Department of Public Safety are working closely with local law enforcement to provide resources as needed and deliver justice for this heinous act. I thank the first responders who have acted swiftly and admirably under pressure, and I want to remind all Texans that we will not allow the Lone Star State to be overrun by hatred and violence. We will unite, as Texans always do, to respond to this tragedy.”
Midland is about 300 miles east of El Paso, where a mass shooting at a Walmart in the beginning of the month left 22 people dead. It’s also the fourth mass shooting in Texas over the past two years. In November 2017, 26 people were killed in a shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs and in May 2018, a shooting at Santa Fe High School near Houston left 10 people dead.
You can read the latest on this developing situation at The New York Times.
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