A gunman in West Texas who went on a shooting spree, killing five people while randomly firing from his vehicle and then from a hijacked mail truck, was shot and killed by police in a gun battle in a movie theater parking lot, authorities said Saturday.
At least 21 people were injured, including three law enforcement officers, Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said at a news conference. A hospital administrator said a child under the age of 2 was hurt and at least seven people were in critical condition.Gerke identified the shooter as a white male in his 30s. His name and a motive were not given.
The shooter fired into several vehicles, including this truck off I-20 between Odessa and Midland, Texas.
The rampage began about 3:13 p.m. CT (4:13 p.m. ET) when two Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle on Interstate 20 westbound, DPS Lt. Elizabeth Carter said.
Before that vehicle came to a complete stop, the driver and only occupant pointed a rifle toward his rear window and fired several shots toward the DPS patrol unit, wounding one of the troopers, Carter said.
Gerke said the driver traveled west into Odessa and shot another person, then continued through the city where "there were multiple victims," the chief said. Devin Sanchez, a spokesman for the City of Odessa, said someone in a gold vehicle was driving around shopping centers and shooting people from his vehicle. The shooter abandoned his vehicle, stole a mail truck and shot at more people, Gerke said. During the confusing moments of the pursuit, authorities thought there might be two shooters firing from two vehicles. The shooter drove toward the Cinergy movie theater, where he and police officers exchanged gunfire in the parking lot and the man was killed, the chief said.
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