Texas shooting – death toll hits 7 as schoolgirl, 15, among those killed & baby girl injured with 21 others after gunman opened fire ‘at random’
A HIGH school student, 15, is among seven dead and 21 injured after a gunman shot victims during a more than 10-mile shooting rampage in Texas. Those paying tribute to teenager Leila Hernandez said she was a “sweet girl with such a big heart, beautiful inside and out”. A mass shooter hijacked a mail van […]
A HIGH school student, 15, is among seven dead and 21 injured after a gunman shot victims during a more than 10-mile shooting rampage in Texas.
Those paying tribute to teenager Leila Hernandez said she was a “sweet girl with such a big heart, beautiful inside and out”.
A mass shooter hijacked a mail van and rampaged through Odessa and neighbouring Midland, injuring at least three cops last night.
The death toll in Saturday’s gun rampage in West Texas rose to seven on Sunday, local media reported.
Police had earlier said five people, including the gunman, were killed in the mass shooting.
Anderson David, 17 months old, was hit in the face and chest with shrapnel in the attack, and rushed to hospital.
Little Anderson’s mum, Kelby Giesler Davis, wrote on a GoFundMe page: “Anderson is alive and that is a prayer answered bigger than I’ve ever had to pray.
“Her vitals are good. She is being flown to Lubbock while we drive. Not getting to fly with her is beyond painful.
“Anderson is 17 months old, has shrapnel in her right chest, which thank God is superficial.
“She has a hole through her bottom lip and tongue and her front teeth were knocked out. She is alive when others today are not alive.
“I ask you to continue praying for our hearts as we experience this, pray for complete healing of Anderson, pray for every other family in our same situation, or worse, today and pray for the shooters.
“Pray that whatever is causing them to do this will be defeated by God and they will stop shooting.”
“GREAT HEART”
Postal worker Mary Granados was fatally shot in Odessa when the gunman hijacked her truck, a fellow employee told media.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help her family cover expenses for her funeral.
Friend Leslie Aide said: “I had the privilege to work with Mary before she started her career at USPS; she was beautiful inside and out, with a great heart and always ready to be a friend – always had a smile on her face!”
The death of Leila Hernandez has left her friends and family “heartbroken”.
In a tribute on social media, they said they were “grateful to have been a part of her life, and it hurts our heart greatly that she is no longer with us on this earth.
“Such a sweet girl, with such a big heart. Beautiful inside and out.”
What we know so far:
- At least seven people were killed and 21 injured as well as three police officers in a shooting rampage in Texas
- Police initially feared more than one shooter was at large – but later confirmed a lone gunman had been shot and killed
- The rampage began at 4pm local time in the town of Midland with a traffic stop where gunfire was exchanged with cops
- The suspect hijacked a US Postal Service Van and began shooting passersby at random
- Police chased him to a Cinergy cinema in Odessa – sparking a panicked evacuation of a shopping mall
- The gunman – a white male in his 30s who has not been named – was shot dead by police
A pupil at Ector County Independent School District was also killed, with the school tweeting: “We are heartbroken and outraged by the violence that struck our community and our school district today.
“We are learning that we have lost friends, family members, as well as one of our students.”
Authorities initially feared that two shooters in two separate vehicles – a small Toyota truck and the hijacked postal van – were carrying out the attack.
But Midland Police later confirmed that one shooter was chased down and shot dead at a Cinergy cinema in Odessa.
Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said: “Once this individual was taken out of the picture, there have been no more victims.”
Cops are yet to release the identity of the dead shooter – and only revealed he is a white male in his 30s who was known to police.
Among the 21 injured was a child under the age of two who was rushed hospital in an unknown condition.
The Medical Center Hospital in Odessa took in 13 victims, including one who died, the hospital’s director, Russell Tippin, said.
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Seven were in a critical condition, two serious, while two were treated and released.
Tippin added: “Grab onto your loved ones, pray for this town, stop and give your prayers for the victims.”
Zack Owens was one of three cops injured in the shooting.
According to a GoFundMe page initiated to help pay for his medical expenses, he was “shot in the line of duty during an active shooter situation.
“Officer Owens was shot multiple times in the arm and hand, as well as suffering from glass shards in his eye, which is his most serious injury.”
Police sources told News West 9 the shooting was “planned by a group” – although the motive remains unclear.
It began on Saturday afternoon with an interstate traffic stop, when Texas state troopers tried pulling over a gold car for failing to signal a left turn.
Gunfire was exchanged with police, setting off a chaotic rampage during which the suspect hijacked a mail carrier truck.
He then fired at random as he drove through Odessa and Midland, hitting scores of victims two cities in the heart of Texas oil country more than 300 miles (483km) west of Dallas.
The attack started just after 3.15pm local time (9.15pm BST) on Interstate 20 and Highway 191, which connects Midland to Odessa.
After a high-speed police chase, the suspect crashed into a stationary vehicle behind the Odessa Cinergy multiplex complex.
He then engaged in a fierce gun battle with police and was shot dead in front of panicked bank holiday weekend shoppers.
Mobile phone footage later showed people running out of the movie theatre and screaming in horror.
HORROR ATTACK
As Odessa television station KOSA aired breaking news on live TV, their broadcast was dramatically interrupted by police telling them they had to clear the area.
Retail stores, a shopping mall and the University of Texas Permian Basin were locked down as rumours spread of the shootings and sightings.
US President Donald Trump tweeted: “Just briefed by Attorney General Barr about the shootings in Texas.
“FBI and Law Enforcement is fully engaged. More to follow.”
Vice President Mike Pence later said that President Trump is “absolutely determined” to work with lawmakers to “confront this scourge of mass atrocities in our country.”
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The shooting comes less than a month after a gunman shot dead 22 people in El Paso, Texas.
A separate mass shooting the following day left nine dead in Dayton, Ohio.
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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