Four people have been shot and killed and 21 others injured by a gunman who opened fire in a series of shootings near Odessa in western Texas, according to authorities.
The suspect has been shot and killed, Midland Police officials said.
Police said there were a total of 25 shooting victims, including police officers from three different departments.
Police initially said five people were killed, but that number included the shooter.
The first of the shootings began with a traffic stop by a Texas Department of Public Safety officer just after 3 p.m. local time, authorities said. The officer stopped a gold Honda with a traffic violation, according to police.
It was not clear what led to the traffic stop.
But after the vehicle came to a stop, the officer was shot, officials said.
That’s when the suspect fled along I-20 toward Odessa, and kept shooting at people in multiple locations, authorities said.
When he reached 42nd Street, he struck several more people, authorities added.
Along the way, the suspect ditched his car and allegedly stole a mail truck, police said. He then went toward Cinergy, a local entertainment center, and continued shooting.
The suspect, described as a white man in his 30s, was shot and killed by responding officers, police said.
The motive for the shooting was unknown at this time, police said.
The Department of Public Safety officer’s injuries were non-life-threatening, Midland Mayor Jerry Morales told CNN.
A Midland police officer was also shot and underwent surgery, Morales said.
Midland Memorial Hospital has received six patients, three of whom are in critical condition, hospital officials said. The other three patients are in stable condition.
Officials at Medical Health Center held a news conference Saturday evening. In all, 13 patients were transported, according to the hospital’s president, Russell Tippin.
Two were treated and released, he told reporters. Eight of the victims underwent surgery, he added.
An additional two victims were in serious condition, Tippin said.
One of the victims was a child younger than 2 years old, he said.
And one of the shooting victims taken to the hospital died, Tippin said.
Cinergy Entertainment, the entertainment center where the rampage came to an end, released a statement on Twitter calling the shooting a “senseless tragedy.”
“The safety of our team members and guests are our top priority and we are extremely grateful for the swift response from local authorities & first responders,” the statement read.
Midland and Odessa are in western Texas, about 20 miles apart.
“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 attack,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.
“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,” he added. “We offer our unwavering support to the victims, their families, and all the people of Midland and Odessa.”
source:abcnews
