Five Killed and Dozens Injured In Texas Shooting, Suspect Killed

For the second time this month, a shooter opened fire and wreaked havoc in West Texas, this time near the Odessa and Midland areas.

Texas law enforcement officials said five people were dead and 21 injured in a shooting on Saturday afternoon. The gunman was killed by law enforcement after being chased to a parking lot at an entertainment complex.

According to CNN, the shooting began after a traffic stop. In a brief televised press conference, the Midland police said there remained “a very fluid, confusing situation” and did not divulge details of the suspect or those killed and wounded.

The police spokesman said he could not confirm there was not a second suspect.

The Mayor of Midland Jerry Morales said: “We are hoping this is just one shooter and we have contained him.”

Mayor Morales explained that the shooting started with a traffic stop and that an officer was shot.  “That’s when he shot the officer and then took off and started shooting randomly,” Morales said. “Everything happened after that.”

According to multiple reports, the suspect, who was identified as a white male in his 30’s, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Cinergy complex, that it is located between Odessa and Midland. Midland and Odessa area in the western part of Texas, about 20 miles apart.

Police have not yet released the shooter’s name or a motive for the shooting.

Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said at a news conference that three law enforcement officers were injured: one from the Department of Public Safety, one officer from the Midland Police Department and one officer from Odessa Police Department.

The suspect was driving one vehicle and at one point ditched that vehicle (a gold Toyota) and hijacked a United States Postal Service mail truck, Gerke said.

The suspect and officers made contact and exchanged gunfire in the Cinergy complex parking lot and the suspect was shot and killed.