Texas Hospital Treating 14 Shooting Victims, 2019's Mass Killings Reach 25
ODESSA, Texas (AP) -- The latest on a shooting in West Texas (all times local):
9 p.m.
A database shows that the West Texas shooting brings the number of mass killings in the U.S. so far this year to 25, which is as many mass killings as in all of 2018.
The AP/USATODAY/Northeastern University mass murder database also shows that depending on whether the suspect killed in West Texas is included among the five people dead Saturday, the total of victims so far this year in the U.S. either equals all of last year at 140 or falls one short at 139.
The database tracks all U.S. homicides since 2006 involving four or more people killed (not including the offender) over a short period of time (24 hours) regardless of weapon, location, victim-offender relationship or motive. The database includes information on these and other characteristics concerning the incidents, offenders, and victims.
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8:30 p.m.
The CEO of Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, Russell Tippin, says a total of 13 shooting victims have been treated at the hospital, including one who has died. It was not immediately clear if the deceased person was among the five dead previously cited by law enforcement authorities.
Tippin says seven of the shooting victims are listed in critical condition, including several who have already completed surgeries, and two others are in serious condition.
One shooting victim, a child under the age of 2, was transferred to another facility and two others were treated and released, Tippin said. Tippin did not say where the child was transferred.
Tippin previously said that the hospital was treating 14 shooting victims. But he said that one of the patients he included earlier was injured in an incident unrelated to the shooting.
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8:20 p.m.
Authorities say a mass shooting in West Texas began when a man being pulled over by state troopers started shooting through the rear window of his car with a rifle.
Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger says Saturday that one of two state troopers conducting the traffic stop was shot. She says the suspect then fled "and continued shooting innocent people," including two other police officers.
Authorities say a total of three law enforcement officers were shot. At least five people died. There were at least 21 civilian gunshot victims.
Cesinger says the trooper is in serious but stable condition. The two police officers are in stable condition at a local hospital.
Cesinger says no one else was in the shooter's vehicle.
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6:55 p.m.
Russell Tippin, CEO of Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, says 14 shooting victims are being treated at the hospital, but he did not give their conditions or other information about the victims.
Tippin says social workers and professional counselors are at the hospital to provide support to the families of shooting victims. He also said the hospital has been locked down for the safety of the staff and patients.
He says: "Right now the hospital is stable, it's secure."
Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke has said that at least five people died from the shooting. He said three law enforcement officers were injured and at least 21 civilians were shot.
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6:30 p.m.
Police say the suspect killed after a West Texas shooting spree was a white male in his 30s.
Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke declined to name him but said he has some idea who he is.
He says at least 21 people have been injured. At least five people are dead.
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6:10 p.m.
Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke says that at least 21 people have been injured by gunfire and five killed in a shooting in West Texas.
At a news conference Saturday, Gerke also says that at least three law enforcement officers were among those shot.
He spoke after a chaotic afternoon during which police reported that a suspect hijacked a U.S. Postal Service vehicle and began firing at random in the area of Odessa and Midland, hitting multiple people. Police initially reported that there could be more than one shooter, but Gerke says authorities now believe it was one shooter.
Gerke says he believes the threat is over but authorities remain vigilant.
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5:30 p.m.
Police said there are "multiple gunshot victims" in West Texas after reports of two suspects opening fire on Saturday in the area of Midland and Odessa.
Midland police said at least one suspect was shot and killed near the Cinergy movie theater in Odessa.
One or possibly two suspects hijacked a U.S. Postal Service vehicle and were firing at random, hitting multiple people, Odessa police said.
"At this time there are multiple gunshot victims," Odessa police said in a posting on Facebook.
The Texas Department of Public Safety has urged residents to avoid major highways in the area, including Interstate 20.
No other details were immediately available.
Odessa is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of Midland. Both are more than 300 miles (483 kilometers) west of Dallas.
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