6 Dead After ‘Routine’ Traffic Stop Leads To Motorist Shooting Up Midland And Odessa — Here’s The 411

The violence started with a traffic stop gone terribly wrong. The motorist shot the trooper and went on a rampage after that.

What we can report is that the as-yet-unnamed man in his 30s, having been neutralized, will never be in a position to harm anyone else again.

As in many such instances, the chaos led some to believe there was a second shooter. This is no longer a concern as it has been confirmed that the same man is now known to have driven both vehicles.

According to officials, the shooting started in Midland and then proceeded to Odessa. In a news conference Saturday afternoon, Chief Michael Gerke of the Odessa Police Department said the shooting began around 3 p.m. after a traffic stop.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said that two state troopers pulled over a lone male driver, who then grabbed a rifle and pointed it out the window, opened fire and wounded an officer. He then began shooting at civilians and police, wounding two police officers — one from Odessa and one from Midland. The trooper is in serious but stable condition, and the two police officers are in stable condition at a local hospital, according to DPS.
Source: TexasTribune

After ditching the car he hijacked a mail truck and kept going.

Here’s the police Chief’s account:

Odessa police chief says at least 5 people were killed and 21 injured after a mass shooting in Odessa, Texas, in a "horrific" day. pic.twitter.com/kzDB7CeJS9

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 31, 2019

Midland Mayor Jerry Morales told The New York Times that the shooter fired as he drove on Interstate 20 and Highway 191. During the shooting, DPS encouraged people in Midland, Odessa and Big Spring to remain indoors, while Midland police posted a warning on the department’s Facebook page: “A subject (possibly 2) is currently driving around Odessa shooting at random people. At this time there are multiple gunshot victims. The suspect just hijacked a U.S. mail carrier truck and was last seen in the area of 38th and Walnut. Everyone is encouraged to get off the road and use extreme caution! All law enforcement is currently searching for the suspect and more information will be released as soon as it becomes available.”

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 seven patients were in critical condition Saturday evening, two were in serious condition, an infant was airlifted to another hospital, and two people were treated and released.
Source: TexasTribune

An infant child, reportedly 17 months old, is among the hospitalized.

As usual, some have already been jumping to their usual partisan positions, using these events to promote their preferred talking points and agendas.