Pray for the victims, Tippin said. ECSO identifies man who fell out of garbage truck to death, Crime-stoppers tip leads to arrest of Odessa trailer thief, Irrigation work underway on Fairview Cemetery. With concerned citizens providing periodic updates on Ator's location, law enforcement believed he intended to return to his place of work. ", Officers Vavao and Prater and University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) Police Department Lieutenant Brad Standerfer "briefly engaged Ators position inside the USPS van with gunfire.". Ator would subsequently engage police officers in a brief gun battle that would result in his death. The man who has not been identified fled from state troopers who had tried to pull him over. As Ator closed in, "Officer Vavao fired multiple rifle shots directly into the windshield of the USPS van as Officer Prater aligned his patrol vehicle and accelerated to strike and deflect Ators vehicle before it could slam full force into Officers Vavaos vehicle.". WebInvestigators search a field near an entertainment complex following a mass shooting in Odessa, Texas, Sept. 1, 2019. (Photo by Cengiz Yar/Getty Images), Midland Mayor Jerry Morales talks with Texas Rep Tom Craddick and Midland DA Laura Nodolf 09/01/19 following a press conference with Texas Gov Greg Abbott and area law enforcement at UTPB. As he stood outside, the gunman drove by and opened fire, killing him. Music City Mall patrons are seen outside the mall after being evacuated by Odessa police following a reports of an active shooter in the area.Five people are dead and 21 others injured after a traffic stop turned into a drive-by shooting spree that terrorized the Odessa. ECISD leaders would like to continue to remind community members that all threats against the district will be taken seriously. CBS News DFW: Free 24/7 News Caitlin Randle is a general news reporter for the Midland Reporter-Telegram. (Photo by Cengiz Yar/Getty Images), Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke announces that he does not want to speak the name of the shooter from Saturday's shooting during a news conference Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019, in Odessa, Texas. WebODESSA, Texas The Texas Rangers are investigating an officer-involved shooting after a man causing a disturbance was shot by an Odessa officer outside a residence. School and school district leaders are asking parents to please speak with their children about the types of messages they post on social media. Greg Abbott (R) read a text he said he had received from the childs mother at a press conference on Sunday. The Odessa Police Department responded to the 900 block of W 40th in reference to multiple In response, Odessa officers said they fired their weapons at him, striking him multiple times. He would eventually ram his vehicle through a chain-link fence to exit the property. Kimberly Juarez and Lizeth Aguilar mourn at white crosses, made by Greg Zanis from Illinois, that were placed on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, at 2nd St. and Sam Houston. We will continue to update this story as we learn more. ODESSA, Texas (KOSA)-Update: Odessa Police are releasing new information on the double shooting November 11th. Jacy Lewis/Reporter-Telegram, Dr. Nathaniel B. Ott, M.D. By Sunday morning, one person remained in critical condition, while another three were in serious condition and seven were in fair condition, according to CBS 7. A postal worker and a 15-year-old girl are among those identified as victims in Saturday's rampage that left eight According to Odessa Police, one person was arrested for possession of meth, while the shooter was arrested for aggravated assault and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As Ator drove along I-20, he called 9-1-1 multiple times taunting the operators as he shot at passing motorists. I am heartbroken by the crying of the people of the state of Texas. He said that following the May 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting near Houston that left 10 people dead, he signed 15 new laws this year that addressed school safety. The gunman then hijacked a United States postal van and indiscriminately fired from a rifle at people before the authorities shot and killed him outside a movie theater in Odessa. Multiple 9-1-1 calls led police to a house in the neighborhood of Golder and 40th Street. At least 21 others were wounded, including three law enforcement officers. If you hear my voice, hug your families.. Officials say the unidentified suspect killed 5 people and injured 21 in a mass shooting in Midland and nearby Odessa. daily is emailed 5 days per week. Officers found an AR-15 style rifle and a black handgun on the front passenger seat of the vehicle, the affidavit states. The shootings ended next to the theater, where two police officers one from Odessa and one from Midland were wounded as they exchanged gunfire with the gunman, who died at the scene. Tim Fischer/Reporter-Telegram, FBI Christopher Combs and Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke speak 09/01/19 during a press conference at UTPB. According to the autopsy report, Ator had gunshot wounds in the following areas: The firearms investigation revealed Ator had been armed with a semi-automatic .223 caliber rifle. Shortly after the two-year mark of the Midland-Odessa mass shooting that left seven dead and 25 wounded, the Texas Department of Public Safety released their final report, which included the gunmans route and a list of crime scenes. The downward spiral that would result in Seth Ator murdering seven people and injuring twenty-four began at 1:27 p.m. on August 31, 2019, at the Journey Oilfield offices where Ator worked. When investigators got to the scene, they found an unknown subject had arrived at the location and shot the victim before leaving. WebA mass shooter hijacked a mail van and rampaged through Odessa and neighbouring Midland, injuring at least three cops last night. Ive heard of a lot of the shootings in Chicago and Detroit and all that, but Ive begun to realize its here at home. The 31-year-old is the third transgender woman to be killed in Milwaukee in the last eight months. His current condition remains unknown at this time. The subsequent investigation revealed Justiss's bullets struck Ator's vehicle multiple times. Zailynn Rangel, 3, places flowers on the white crosses with help from Kimberly Quintana and Karla Flotte on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, at 2nd St. and Sam Houston. Galan exited peacefully around 6:45 P.M. and was arrested on a warrant. New information has been released in a double shooting Thursday night in Odessa. Approximately 63 fired cartridges were retrieved from the suspects vehicle, the USPS van, and from the ground at scenes that were linked to Ator. We are heartbroken and outraged by the violence that struck our community and our school district today. Feb. 27Two 18-year-old men were shot in the upper body early Sunday morning during an underage drinking party. When he was 11 years old, Ator was interviewed by Amarillo police after pulling a knife on a group of girls at a park and saying he was going to stab one of them. Odessa Police have not released any other information. Law enforcement investigators conducted a search of a property in West Odessa, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019. Words must be met with action., I have been to too many of these events, Abbott added. Veronica Alonzo, 29, talks about interactions with her neighbor, Seth Ator, 36, at their West Odessa, Texas neighborhood, Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. A suspect hijacked mail truck in Odessa, Texas, and shot at random. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki), Dr. Nathaniel B. Ott, M.D. Our lives have been changed forever Joseph Griffith, 40, was in his car with his wife and two kids when he was fatally shot, his sister, Carla Byrne, said. The shooting began in Midland on West Loop 250 at the Interstate 20 service road when Ator was pulled over by DPS Troopers. ECSO identifies man who fell out of garbage truck to death, Crime-stoppers tip leads to arrest of Odessa trailer thief, Irrigation work underway on Fairview Cemetery. The LIVE! Nathan reportedly had his arms wrapped around his sister when she was shot. He was found guilty by a jury on Thursday of three charges; Murder, an Accident Involving Death, and Tampering with Evidence. I thought she had got bit by a dog or something. Ive been up most of the night and Id like to ask you all to get up and go to church, she said. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki), Investigators search a field near an entertainment complex following a mass shooting in Odessa, Texas, Sept. 1, 2019. Thats how one Odessa resident describes his Thursday evening, a quiet night, broken by the sound of gunfire. There was a four-minute period when officials were unable to locate Ators vehicle before he reappeared on Yukon Road. Greg Abbott (C) holds a press conference with local and federal law enforcement at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) following a deadly shooting spree on September 1, 2019 in Odessa, Texas. Like nothing, she told The Washington Post. The impact caused the USPS's airbags to deploy and the vehicle to turn sideways. Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke speaks 09/02/19 during a press conference and answers questions about the investigation. Three of the injured were law enforcement Odessa City Council receives update on search process for new City Manager, CASA of West Texas holds 'The Power of One' luncheon, Gusty tomorrowthen damaging winds on Thursday, How to view the Jupiter and Venus conjunction this week. Cerros truck hit and killed Wheatley while attempting to pass the other cars on the road. At a press conference from Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, CEO Russell Tippin said 13 victims were transported to the hospital and one died after arrival. He said the people killed ranged in age from 15 to 57. There are no definite answers as to motive or reasons at this point, said Gerke, who also offered his apologies and condolences to the victims and their families. This is what we know about them so far. A Texas state trooper and other emergency personnel monitor the scene at a local car dealership following a shooting in Odessa, Texas, Sept. 1, 2019. Ator lived in a aluminum shack, background, without electricity or running water in West Odessa. At least one person is dead as of Sunday evening in Odessa. firefighters discovered a woman who had been shot to death. Rest easy mamas I will always love you baby sis its sad it had to happen to you I wish I would of been me you still had your whole life ahead of you. Stay with NewsWest 9 as we work to confirm more information on the case. The death toll in the West Texas shooting rampage increased Sunday as authorities investigated why a man stopped by state troopers for failing to signal a left turn opened fire on them and fled, shooting over a dozen people as he drove before being killed by officers outside a movie theater. Three law enforcement officers were among those injured, one from DPS Midland County, one from Odessa PD, and one from Midland PD. A Saturday in Odessa, that is one of the most crowded places, Gerke said. The investigation also recovered approximately fifty-nine fired cartridges by law enforcement from several scenes. A city spokesman said seven people had been killed, in No word on what happened, who died or pending charges. Two men standing outside of a Nissan Altima shot a man, later identified as Jesse Sanchez, and then sped off down JBS Pkwy. The man who has not been identified fled from state troopers who had tried to pull him over. Villasenor is then reported to have been taken to Medical Center Hospital for medical treatment. For us as a community and everywhere in Odessa, I dont think its safe for us, said Mike, an Odessa resident. CSI agents determined four different brands of .223 caliber ammunition were used by the suspect: Winchester, Frontier, Aquilla, and LC 17. He was reportedly in a company pick-up truck when he was shot. As we learn more about the shooting, numerous questions still remain. He would continue shooting at passing motorists. More details here. Gerke said though they cannot confirm that the shooter's intent was to enter the theater, it begs the question of why he would go there if he did not plan to go inside. They alsosaw bullet holes in the truck, cash on the ground near the drivers side door and a trash bag full of marijuana on the trucks front seat. According to a post on the department's Facebook page, officers responded to the 1300 The Texas Department of Public Safety said that two state troopers pulled over a lone male driver, who then grabbed a rifle, opened fire and wounded an officer. He then began shooting at people with what Gerke described as an AR-type weapon. The shooter eventually ditched his car, hijacked Granados Postal Service vehicle and continued to open fire as he drove, police said. EXPLAINER: Windstorm was likely a derecho. Arturo Carrasco writes on Mary Granados' white cross, made by Greg Zanis from Illinois, that were placed on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, at 2nd St. and Sam Houston. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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