A deadly shooting in Midland, Texas, killed one person and injured at least 11 others before the suspected gunman was found dead in a tense standoff with law enforcement authorities after hours of standoff with police.
The shooting took place on the morning of June 12 in the 4600 block of West Wall Street and led to an emergency response from local police, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), SWAT teams, the FBI and other federal agencies. Officers responding to reports of an active shooter encountered gunfire from the suspect, who later barricaded himself inside an abandoned veterinary clinic, the officials said.
Midland Mayor Lori Blong said one victim was killed and 11 people were injured in the attack. Several people were rushed to Midland Memorial Hospital, and some of them were admitted to emergency surgery, and others were in stable condition, she said.
The suspect was identified as 45-year-old Victor Mata Villarreal of Odessa. Villarreal was already wanted for attempted capital murder of a peace officer after allegedly firing multiple shots at a Midland police officer during a chase that began June 10, investigators said.
Police set up a perimeter around the building and kept it up for several hours. At 12:30 p.m. local time, officers found Villarreal dead inside the building, the police spokeswoman said. The reason behind his death was not yet known. No law enforcement officers were injured in the operation, the police spokeswoman said.
The motive behind the shooting is still under investigation. Texas Rangers are leading the investigation and need anyone with information about the shooting to come forward. Road closures around the crime scene remain in place, authorities said.
The tragedy has shocked the Midland community and revived fears of gun violence in the U.S. Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressed condolences to the victims and noted that first responders arrived quickly to contain the threat and prevent further casualties.
