HOUSTON, Texas, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The Police Department of Odessa, U.S. state of Texas, posted a message on Facebook Sunday, saying the shooter, who killed seven people in west Texas has been identified as 36-year-old Seth Aaron Ator, from Odessa.
During a news conference held Sunday, in the University of Texas, of the Permian Basin (UTPB), about seven km northeast of Odessa, FBI special agent in charge, Christopher Combs, said, “At this point I can tell you we do not believe – we do not believe, there’s any connection to any domestic or international terrorism.”
A victim died Sunday morning, which brought the death toll to seven, in what police called a random act of violence, Saturday afternoon in the Midland-Odessa area.
According to the statement, from City of Odessa Director of Communications, Devin Sanchez, the victim was pronounced deceased Sunday morning, at Midland Memorial Hospital. “There are eight confirmed deaths now (three in Midland and five in Odessa). This includes the shooter,” the statement said.
The shooting started on Saturday afternoon in Midland, when a Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) trooper, attempted to stop a car that failed to signal. When the trooper pulled over the car, “he was shot by the occupant of the car,” Odessa Police Chief, Michael Gerke, told a press conference Saturday afternoon.
The vehicle continued westbound into the city of Odessa, and the driver shot random individuals.
The suspect then ditched the vehicle and “stole a mail truck and there were more victims after that.”
The shooter was encountered by and exchanged fire with law enforcement officers, including those from Odessa, Midland police and TxDPS near a local movie theatre and “deceased at that location,” Gerke said.
The Saturday shooting was less than a month from another deadly mass shooting in Texas that shocked the whole nation and the international community. On Aug 3, a 21-year-old gunman opened fire at a Walmart store in El Paso, killing 22 people and injuring at least two dozen.
Located in West Texas, the Midland-Odessa is a metropolitan area with a population of around 240,000. The economy of the area is heavily dependent on the petroleum industry.– NNN-AGENCIES
