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The gunman who went to West Texas on Saturday afternoon was killed by seven people with an "RA-type weapon," investigators said Sunday.
Odessa police chief, Michael Gerke, said those who were killed were aged 15 to 57, suggesting that more people could have died if the police had not killed the gunman in front of a crowded cinema. Two of the victims died overnight.
"He went to the movies to show his motivation," Gerke said at a press conference.
The police chief said he was not appointing the gunman, described by officials Saturday as a white man in his thirties, because "I refuse."
Odessa and Midland police and sheriff's deputies surrounding the area behind the Cinergy cinema in Odessa, Texas on Saturday. (Tim Fischer / Midland Reporter-Telegram via AP)
TEXAS SHOOTING LEAVES 7 DEATH, 19 INJURED; SUSPECT DEAD
"I will not give him any notoriety for what he's done," said the chef.
Shots in Odessa and Midland resulted in 22 injuries, including three law enforcement officers and a 17-month-old girl.
Gerke said that no motive had been established for the shootings that began shortly after 3 pm.
The FBI special agent in charge, Christopher Combs, said the murderer had no apparent connection to terrorist groups. Investigators said that the armed man had a criminal record, but did not disclose the details.
President Trump Sunday tweeted, "Great work from Texas law enforcement and first responders in handling the terrible shooting tragedy."
The shooting began after Texas State soldiers intercepted the shooter for making him turn left without a signal.
Police guarding a street in Odessa, Texas on Saturday. (Dustin Fawcett via AP)
In the chaos that ensued, the suspect hijacked a mail truck and fired at random, investigators said.
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Gerke stated that 15 separate locations had been designated as crime scenes.
Texas State Security Department spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger said the driver "pointed a rifle at the rear window of his car and fired several shots" at the soldiers while he was always moved.
The shots hit one of the two soldiers inside the patrol car, Cesinger said, after which the gunman fled and continued firing.
Two other police officers were shot dead before the suspect was killed. Investigators said the soldier was in a serious but stable state on Saturday and the other officers were stable.
Shauna Saxton said that she was driving with her husband and grandson in Odessa and that she had stopped at a red light when they heard loud noises.
"I looked over my shoulder to the left and the golden car stopped and the man was there, he had a very big rifle and he was pointing at me," he said. she told KOSA TV.
Saxton said that she was stuck because there were two cars in front of her. "I started honking, I started to deviate and we took a little bit of advance on him, then for some reason, the cars in front of me got a little separate," he said. she said, sobbing. She said she heard three more shots as she was running at full speed.
The shooting was the second mass shootout in Texas in a month. An armed man killed 22 people in El Paso on August 3rd.
"I have attended too many of these events," said Texas Governor Greg Abbott at the press conference.
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He added that the new laws would make schools safer from gunshot attacks.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
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