Officials in Midland, Texas, have confirmed the death of a suspect in a shooting that began Friday morning. Mayor Lori Blong reported that one person died, and 11 others sustained injuries in the incident.
The shooting began around 8 a.m. and concluded near a veterinary hospital. After approximately two hours, the suspect engaged in a standoff with police officers.
Eyewitness Andrea Mendias, who works at a nearby automobile body shop, recounted hearing about 40 shots fired. Her video footage displayed officers exiting an armored police vehicle, while police also deployed robots to the scene.
Mayor Blong remarked on the situation, stating, “Officers are containing the situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and our officers.”
The Midland Police Department released a statement detailing their response. They confirmed responding to the active shooter situation on the 4600 block of West Wall Street. Officers quickly worked to secure the area, deploying armored units and collaborating with partner agencies.
Midland, a city of roughly 140,000 residents, is in the core of Texas’s oil region. It was the site of a deadly shooting spree six years ago. During that incident, a gunman, recently dismissed from his oil services job, killed seven and wounded two dozen in a random shooting across the Odessa and Midland areas.
The cities of Midland and Odessa are over 300 miles west of Dallas. This incident remains a developing story.