Authorities in Midland, Texas, say a mass shooting that left one person dead and at least 10 others injured stemmed from a traffic stop earlier in the week. What began as a confrontation with police days ago ended with a deadly outburst of violence in the city and an hours-long emergency that left a community shaken.
Police have now identified the gunman as 45-year-old Victor Mata Villarreal. According to investigators, he had been sought since Wednesday, when he fired at police officers during a traffic stop. He then evaded capture until the shooting erupted, turning a days-long search into a mass-casualty event.
As the gunfire unfolded, the gunman barricaded himself inside an abandoned veterinary clinic. Officers surrounded the building, and after a standoff he was found dead a few hours after the shooting had begun, bringing the immediate danger to an end.
Officials put the toll at 11 known victims, including at least one person who was dead at the scene. One eyewitness said that two of those who were shot were bystanders who had simply been waiting at a stoplight when the violence reached them, underscoring how indiscriminate the attack had been.
The wounded were taken to hospitals in the region, with Midland Memorial Hospital and facilities in nearby Odessa treating those who had been hurt. By later in the day, officials said multiple victims had already been released from the hospital, while others remained under care.
Earlier, before the situation was resolved, authorities had set up a family reunification facility at the hospital and asked relatives searching for loved ones to go there directly. Officials also said that donations to help victims and their families were being coordinated through the United Way and partner support agencies.
With the gunman dead and the threat over, the focus in Midland has shifted to the investigation and to the victims. Authorities have promised further updates as the case proceeds, while the city absorbs the impact of an attack that grew out of an encounter with police earlier in the week.