Over 20 victims have been shot in West Texas on Saturday.
On Sunday, Odessa Police Department Chief Michael Gerke said in a news conference that at least 22 were injured. Victims who were killed range in ages 15 to 57 years old.
Gerke previously confirmed in a news conference that at least 5 were killed and 21 injured near the cities of Midland and Odessa. Three law enforcement officials — from the Department of Public Safety, Midland Police Department and Odessa Police Department — were shot.
Gerke also said that the attack began as a traffic stop.
A gunman, described as a white male in his 30s, hijacked a postal van and a pickup truck and opened fire on residents, motorists and shoppers, police said. The gunman’s motive is not known at this time.
The Midland Police Department confirmed that the gunman had been killed at the Odessa Cinergy movie theater.
Tim Fischer/Midland Daily News via AP
Midland Mayor Jerry Morales told theNew York Times:“They are shooting at random.” Morales also told theTimesthat the shootings began shortly after 4 p.m. local time on Interstate 20 and Highway 191, which connects Midland to Odessa. The two cities are approximately 20 miles apart.
At the time of the incident, the Odessa Police Department posted on Facebook, “At this time there are multiple gunshot victims,” and a gunman was driving around “shooting at random people.”
• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage?Click hereto get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
A spokesperson for the Midland and Odessa Police Departments did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
The Odessa and Midland shootings come four weeks after thedeadly shooting at an El Paso, Texas, Walmartleft 22 dead.
source: people.com
