Odessa/Midland Two Active Shooters? (Aug 31)

[fly out]

https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/BREAKING-Odessa-Police--558964971.html

Two mobile active shooters are being reported, one in a stolen USPS jeep?

[BaiHu]

https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/BREAKING-Odessa-Police--558964971.html

Two mobile active shooters are being reported, one in a stolen USPS jeep?

Saw this. Very strange. Following. GL and GS getting them.

[farscott]

This sounds like something from the plot of a bad B-movie. Who would steal a mail carrier's truck and use it to randomly shoot people? Hope local LEOs can quickly stop these idiots.

[BaiHu]

David Begnaud on Twitter: "BREAKING: 30 people have been shot between Odessa & Midland Texas, police tell CBS News. There are 2 suspect on the loose in 2 separate vehicles. As of 5:05p EST today, per police: 10 victims shot in Midland 20 victims shot in Odessa See below.
https://mobile.twitter.com/davidbegnaud/status/1167912378215743490

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[TheNewbie]

God help the victims and the good guys.

[Malamute]

Thats JodyHs neighborhood isnt it?

Live feed at the moment

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/odessa-midland-shooting-texas-active-shooter-today-live-updates-2019-08-31/

They had mentioned reports of police firing on one vehicle, and possible one person in custody from somewhere else. General mass confusion for the most part though.

[Casual Friday]

The shooter in the stolen USPS van is in custody, looks like a cop rammed him off the road. Hopefully there was a shootout and he's dead.

[LittleLebowski]

Mag dumps.

https://mobile.twitter.com/sotiridi/status/1167926815110774785

[TC215]

1 suspect dead.

[Malamute]

Midland Mayor claims one Midland officer and one DPS officer shot.

Just updated to three officers shot, no word on condition.

[Mark D]

"Posted: Saturday, August 31, 2019 4:18 pmoanews@oaoa.com
Five people are dead and 21 others are injured following a traffic stop on Interstate 20 near Midland where a Department of Public Safety officer was shot by a gunman who then went on a shooting spree around Odessa before being shot to death by law enforcement.
A Midland police officer and an OPD officer were also shot as was the driver of a mail truck that the gunman hijacked. Names of those who were killed and injured were not immediately released. The postal worker, co-workers said via social media, was killed.
OPD Chief Michael Gerke during a press conference said he believed the threat was over. Businesses across town locked their doors and the streets were all but empty as police searched for the gunman.
The gunman was initially in a gold sedan but later hijacked a United States Postal Service truck and shot the driver."



https://www.oaoa.com/news/crime_justice/law_enforcement/article_c7ebb474-cc34-11e9-a487-2fcab789ff49.html

[TheNewbie]

I wonder what this piece of human garbage's pathetic story is.

[HCountyGuy]

So a traffic stop spawned an active shooter incident? The hell?

[HCM]

So a traffic stop spawned an active shooter incident? The hell?

It appears that way.

BTW:


Odessa Police Department Chief Michael Gerke said Ator fired at random, using an AR as he drove nearly 10 miles around Midland and Odessa. He was shot and killed by law enforcement at Cinergy theater in Odessa.
U.S. Rep. Tom Craddick told the Reporter-Telegram he had previously failed a background check.

https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Odessa-spokeswoman-Shooter-is-Seth-Ator-14406068.php

[BehindBlueI's]

“You’ll notice that I’m not naming this subject. I refuse to,” Odessa police chief Michael Gerke said at a press conference Sunday.

“I’m not going to give him any notoriety for what he did.”

This guy gets it.

[JodyH]

Guy was fired from his truck driving job with Schlumberger just hours before the traffic stop.
Mile marker 131 on I-20 where the initial traffic stop and shooting of the DPS officer happened is the turn off to a main Schlumberger office, shop and trucking yard complex.
Dude was headed in to shoot up his ex-employer when he was pulled over.
That DPS officer saved a shit load of lives with that traffic stop.

[fixer]

Learned today that an operator I work with lost two kids.

damn...

[LOKNLOD]

Learned today that an operator I work with lost two kids.

damn...

Wow.

No words for that.

[fixer]

The wife, kid, and I were planning on going to the Cinegy complex that day as well. Decided to stick around Seminole for the day instead...

[blues]

Wow.

No words for that.

Truth.

Beyond sad.

[JodyH]

The wife, kid, and I were planning on going to the Cinegy complex that day as well. Decided to stick around Seminole for the day instead...
We go north for our shopping and entertainment.
With the oilfield boom the Odessa/Midland area just has way too many young single depressed stressed men working and living in the area.
Add in the brutal heat wave over the last few weeks and there's been a lot of people doing crazy violent shit around here.

[TheNewbie]

I’ve been going out to west Texas for years now in order to hike. Odessa was never my favorite place, but it (and the general area) seem to have got worse. Certainly busier. Pecos is a cluster.

[JodyH]

Odessa is about as wild as i've ever seen it and i've been going down there since the late '80's.
If you think it's bad now wait until the "bust" when all the good people move on to the next job leaving all the unemployable losers like this clown to become the majority.
The early '90's was the last major oilfield downturn and Odessa was really bad but I think the next bust will be even worse due to the massive amount of cheap Mexican meth that comes into Odessa.

[fixer]

Odessa is about as wild as i've ever seen it and i've been going down there since the late '80's.
If you think it's bad now wait until the "bust" when all the good people move on to the next job leaving all the unemployable losers like this clown to become the majority.
The early '90's was the last major oilfield downturn and Odessa was really bad but I think the next bust will be even worse due to the massive amount of cheap Mexican meth that comes into Odessa.

I can see this on the horizon. All though there isn't a huge downturn right now and business is generally good, many companies are looking for severe cost cuts. Voluntary packages, extreme cost scrutiny, etc...and later they will go after the "bottom 10%" of performers. look out...

[TheNewbie]

I had to spend the night in Andrews (I think) last year, because the hotel there was the only one with a vacancy. The staff was nice but it was DISGUSTING. Can’t believe we didn’t get bed bugs, robbed or some kind of infection.


The cheap hotel in Van Horn was infinitely better.

[JodyH]

I can see this on the horizon. All though there isn't a huge downturn right now and business is generally good, many companies are looking for severe cost cuts. Voluntary packages, extreme cost scrutiny, etc...and later they will go after the "bottom 10%" of performers. look out...
One of my business associates owns several industrial clinics in this area.
For the first time in several years the number of employee drug screens has surpassed pre-employment drug screens.
Sure sign that companies are starting to cut head count "the easy way".

[HCM]

We go north for our shopping and entertainment.
With the oilfield boom the Odessa/Midland area just has way too many young single depressed stressed men working and living in the area.
Add in the brutal heat wave over the last few weeks and there's been a lot of people doing crazy violent shit around here.

Truth.

To quote Kipling:


But single men in barracks, most remarkably like you. And if sometimes our conduct ain't all you fancy paints. Why, single men in barracks don's grow into plaster saints.

My experience has been that the oil patch attracts the worst of human trafficking and narcotics and other vices like moths to a flame.

It’s also been my experience that many people with mental illness, particularly schizophrenics, tend to self medicate with illegal drugs such as marijuana and meth which of course make their symptoms worse though they claim it makes them feel better.

[TXBK]

The wife, kid, and I were planning on going to the Cinegy complex that day as well. Decided to stick around Seminole for the day instead...

I started to go to Midland/Odessa, but decided to spend the day in Hobbs instead and glad that I did. Sometimes I’m forced to go attend a meeting, but I tend to go to Carlsbad or Hobbs instead if possible.

[fixer]

Some jobs in the oilfield you just have to have some what of a screw loose to even consider it. Same in refining and chemicals

[JodyH]

Now they're saying he was fired from Journey Oilfield Services not Schlumberger.
And that he and Journey called 911 because he lost his shit when he was fired. He also called the FBI on their tip line and rambled.
The only Journey Oilfield Services I know locally is in Andrews.
He was previously employed by Schlumberger (and the blue coveralls with silver reflective shoulder stripes he's pictured wearing are Schlumberger).
I wonder if he had someone at Schlumberger he was going to rampage on since Andrews is 40 miles away and Journey had already called the cops on him?
Too much of a coincidence that the initial gunfight was at that Exit.

https://apnews.com/eef251ac02a74cb7ba195f83a9494c45

[JodyH]

but decided to spend the day in Hobbs instead and glad that I did.
PM me next time and we'll hit the range.

[Paul Blackburn]

Surely people in Midland/Odessa have easier now than previous generations. Its always been hot and people didn't use to have A/C, work was more physical and and less technical. People just can't cope anymore and let social media drive them bat shit crazy.

[HCM]

Surely people in Midland/Odessa have easier now than previous generations. Its always been hot and people didn't use to have A/C, work was more physical and and less technical. People just can't cope anymore and let social media drive them bat shit crazy.

Work in the oil fields is still pretty physical and dangerous.

[JodyH]

Surely people in Midland/Odessa have easier now than previous generations. Its always been hot and people didn't use to have A/C, work was more physical and and less technical. People just can't cope anymore and let social media drive them bat shit crazy.
I've been in the oilfield since 1991 doing everything from running a shovel to highly technical jobs.
IMO the oilfield is more dangerous now than it was 25 years ago due to the hiring and training practices of the companies.
The work to be done and the environmental factors you're doing it in are the same. Some of the tools available now should have made the work go faster and safer.
The problem is the companies think using a smarter tool means you can hire a dumber employee.

Just when you think you've idiot proofed the world, the world sends out a better idiot.

[Paul Blackburn]

I've been in the oilfield since 1991 doing everything from running a shovel to highly technical jobs.
IMO the oilfield is more dangerous now than it was 25 years ago due to the hiring and training practices of the companies.
The work to be done and the environmental factors you're doing it in are the same. Some of the tools available now should have made the work go faster and safer.
The problem is the companies think using a smarter tool means you can hire a dumber employee.

Just when you think you've idiot proofed the world, the world sends out a better idiot.

Trades don't attract quality folks like it use to. Back in the day people in trades and even labor had good sense. Not so much anymore.

[TheNewbie]

Driving in that area is simply unpleasant to me. Driving from Guadalupe mountains through Loving county towers Odessa at night feels dangerous.

[JodyH]

Driving in that area is simply unpleasant to me. Driving from Guadalupe mountains through Loving county towers Odessa at night feels dangerous.

https://www.instagram.com/285fuckups/
Hwy 285 aka Thunder Dome/Fury Road.

[fixer]

West Texas death roads or oilfield death roads is a real thing...

[fixer]

I've been in the oilfield since 1991 doing everything from running a shovel to highly technical jobs.
IMO the oilfield is more dangerous now than it was 25 years ago due to the hiring and training practices of the companies.
The work to be done and the environmental factors you're doing it in are the same. Some of the tools available now should have made the work go faster and safer.
The problem is the companies think using a smarter tool means you can hire a dumber employee.

Just when you think you've idiot proofed the world, the world sends out a better idiot.

Never thought of it like that but there is some real truth to this.

I've been doing this for 11 years and I'm shocked when I run across someone who actually knows what they are doing. Truly shocked. The general level of experience is getting lower, not higher.

[fixer]

https://www.instagram.com/285fuckups/
Hwy 285 aka Thunder Dome/Fury Road.


Is "Odessa Man" or "Hobbs man" a thing yet?

[fixer]

I gotta say this incident could have been shit-tons worse. The sheer number of places he shot up randomly could have added up to an extremely high casualty number.

[JodyH]

If he'd of been able to dismount and get into pretty much any of the large buildings at 42nd and Parkway he'd of racked up some numbers.
The MC Mall, HEB grocery, Super Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Sam's, Lowes, IMAX. It's all right there.
Hell, if he'd of dismounted and taken up a hard position at the 42nd and Parkway intersection he'd have turned that whole area into a shooting gallery.

Him treating it like a GTA mission is about the best outcome in hindsight.

[Borderland]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/09/03/texas-shooting-gunman-weapons-background-check/2195417001/

Two things here.

The shooter failed a background check TX. The shooter used an "AR style weapon" that wasn't obtained with a background check. Likely he either stole it, borrowed it, or purchased in a private sale that requires no background check in TX. LE didn't say how he got it so I'm speculating here.

Here's a scenario. Shooter fails a BC and just purchases the rifle in a private sale. AG folks will make a case for a universal background check with this incident. We have a UBC in this state now. Also if you fail a background check a report is sent to LE. You will then be investigated. For that reason I no longer purchase firearms. Not that I have ever failed a BC, just passed one in June but the system isn't 100%. Just not going to give anyone a reason any longer to investigate me for no other reason than failing a broken NICS background check.

A federal universal background check that triggers a red flag to LE will be the next bill in congress that will pass. The dem candidate, whoever that is, will beat Trump up with that very issue next year. Biden has already called Trump out on the issue.

Looks grim.

[Duke]

From that USA Today nonsense.



.In an interview with the Associated Press, neighbor Rocio Gutierrez said the shooter was "a violent, aggressive person."

Gutierrez said the man would shoot rabbits and other animals at all hours of the night.

"We were afraid of him because you could tell what kind of person he was just by looking at him," Gutierrez told the news agency. "He was not nice, he was not friendly, he was not polite."

Law abiding citizen this shooter wasn’t - but being nice, friendly and polite is not a requirement by law or morality. The killing of rabbits all Hours of the night ?

Not illegal. Not immoral. And how the F does this nosey ass neighbor know if he was minding his business ?

[JodyH]

The shooter failed a background check TX.

Also if you fail a background check a report is sent to LE. You will then be investigated.
Shooter failed the BG check... OK... where's the ATF/LE followup investigation and prosecution?
How many NICS denials are followed up on? How many people have been prosecuted (or even investigated) for lying on their 4473?
The bureaucracy failed (again), not a lack of regulation.

[Zincwarrior]

From that USA Today nonsense.




Law abiding citizen this shooter wasn’t - but being nice, friendly and polite is not a requirement by law or morality. The killing of rabbits all Hours of the night ?

Not illegal. Not immoral. And how the F does this nosey ass neighbor know if he was minding his business ?
Evidently he was shooting animals that were on his neighbor's property and showed up at a woman's house with a rifle.

[Duke]

Evidently he was shooting animals that were on his neighbor's property and showed up at a woman's house with a rifle.

Okay that changes things lol

[HCM]

Evidently he was shooting animals that were on his neighbor's property and showed up at a woman's house with a rifle.

42115

Apparently the guy was living in a metal shed in a neighborhood consisting of mobile homes. Neighbors are pretty close - i.e. a neighborhood not the rural land some have described.

[HCM]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/09/03/texas-shooting-gunman-weapons-background-check/2195417001/

Two things here.

The shooter failed a background check TX. The shooter used an "AR style weapon" that wasn't obtained with a background check. Likely he either stole it, borrowed it, or purchased in a private sale that requires no background check in TX. LE didn't say how he got it so I'm speculating here.

Here's a scenario. Shooter fails a BC and just purchases the rifle in a private sale. AG folks will make a case for a universal background check with this incident. We have a UBC in this state now. Also if you fail a background check a report is sent to LE. You will then be investigated. For that reason I no longer purchase firearms. Not that I have ever failed a BC, just passed one in June but the system isn't 100%. Just not going to give anyone a reason any longer to investigate me for no other reason than failing a broken NICS background check.

A federal universal background check that triggers a red flag to LE will be the next bill in congress that will pass. The dem candidate, whoever that is, will beat Trump up with that very issue next year. Biden has already called Trump out on the issue.

Looks grim.

Of he built it from an 80% lower like the Tacoma ICE shooter who was also a prohibited person.

[Borderland]

Shooter failed the BG check... OK... where's the ATF/LE followup investigation and prosecution?
How many NICS denials are followed up on? How many people have been prosecuted (or even investigated) for lying on their 4473?
The bureaucracy failed (again), not a lack of regulation.

Good point. The system spews out about 100K denials a year, many false positive. It's a broken system and LE knows it. It takes resources to do an investigation.

All I'm saying here is we're going to get a nat'l UBC. Many states are POC so FFL doesn't contact NICS, the state does. When that happens many more transactions will be denied and investigated by local LE.

Look for some red flag provision in the nat'l UBC. You will now be the subject of an investigation. Maybe not by the FBI but local LE. It's the next shit storm on the horizon. I'm already dealing with it.

[JodyH]

It's a broken system and LE knows it.

All I'm saying here is we're going to get a nat'l UBC.

So the plan is to double down on a known broken system... brilliant!

[Will_H]

The shooter worked for SLB from July to November 2013, so not a recent employee. It's a shame he wasn't put down earlier. I'm glad he didn't last any longer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TAZ]

So the plan is to double down on a known broken system... brilliant!

LOL... Thats how incrementalism works to a large degree. Throw in root cause creation, either purposefully or via unintended consequences and its a hay day for beurocrats. The goal is to get to an end stage. You create an environment that causes problems. In this instance lets say this guy was a few sandwiches short of a picnic and yet still loose in public. Suppose the incessant cuts to mental health centers and such since the 60's or even before have had an impact n keeping these assclowns out in public?Still wondering why he failed a BG in TX as the listed convictions aren't serious enough to warrant that AFAIK. You then propose a BS solution that will not truly work. Rinse and repeat till your end stage is reached. Best of all the dipshits in general population will demand you do something!!

I would 100% support a UBC that was anonymous and available in an app. You can run anyone you want for any reason. No need to note the reason in the system. Want to check out your daughters date, why not? Want to run your neighbor who you're thinking about sell ing your rifle to? Why not. Want to run the candidates on the ballot? Why not. No reasons need to be given to the .gov, just that XYZ was run on 9/3/19 at 1717 and was told this person was not a felon or wanted for anything. But that isn't what is desired. What is desired. There is little to no desire to keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people. If it were we wouldn't have prohibited person in possession being probably the LEAST punished crime. Whats the first thing to get tossed during a plea bargain?

[TGS]

Look for some red flag provision in the nat'l UBC. You will now be the subject of an investigation. Maybe not by the FBI but local LE. It's the next shit storm on the horizon. I'm already dealing with it.

In what way are you "dealing with it"?

What is the danger to citizens if getting a false-positive NICS hit is referred to LE?

[JodyH]

WWCD? is my new motto when it comes to new or even the majority of existing laws.
What Would Clinton/Comey Do?
Heck if the answer is good enough for the director of the FBI or the Secretary of State it's good enough for me.

[HCM]

In what way are you "dealing with it"?

What is the danger to citizens if getting a false-positive NICS hit is referred to LE?

Isn't that what UPIN's are for ?

[revchuck38]

What is the danger to citizens if getting a false-positive NICS hit is referred to LE?

I got a false positive NICS hit when I tried to buy a 642 from the same dealer I had bought at least five guns from. It wasn't referred to LE, but I did have to go through the jug screw involved in getting a UPIN...including fingerprints. 28 years with a TS clearance and the government wanted ANOTHER set. :rolleyes:

Getting a false positive can happen as easily as having the same first and last names as a prohibited person. Even if you provide your SSN, if the prohibited person whose data generates the false positive didn't, you're SOL.

That said, I haven't had any problems since I got the UPIN.

[HCM]

I got a false positive NICS hit when I tried to buy a 642 from the same dealer I had bought at least five guns from. It wasn't referred to LE, but I did have to go through the jug screw involved in getting a UPIN...including fingerprints. 28 years with a TS clearance and the government wanted ANOTHER set. :rolleyes:

Getting a false positive can happen as easily as having the same first and last names as a prohibited person. Even if you provide your SSN, if the prohibited person whose data generates the false positive didn't, you're SOL.

That said, I haven't had any problems since I got the UPIN.

I have two co-workers who have UPINs.

One of them is not even the same race as their Name and DOB match.

[JodyH]

Guy supposedly bought his gun FTF private.
Due to his stated job and employer this guy had to have a current CDL with HAZMAT.
Two points to ponder and pass around when discussing UBC bullshit.
How the fuck does a guy who fails a NICS due to being adjudicated mentally unfit get a CDL with a damn HAZMAT endorsement?
Someone selling him a firearm should have been able to assume he wasn't a prohibited due to having a same state CDL, the HAZMAT endorsement should have been an additional reassurance.

Cleared to drive a 80,000# semi full of hazardous materials, too dangerous to own a firearm.
Clown world.

[Zincwarrior]

Guy supposedly bought his gun FTF private.
Due to his stated job and employer this guy had to have a current CDL with HAZMAT.
Two points to ponder and pass around when discussing UBC bullshit.
How the fuck does a guy who fails a NICS due to being adjudicated mentally unfit get a CDL with a damn HAZMAT endorsement?
Someone selling him a firearm should have been able to assume he wasn't a prohibited due to having a same state CDL, the HAZMAT endorsement should have been an additional reassurance.

Cleared to drive a 80,000# semi full of hazardous materials, too dangerous to own a firearm.
Clown world.
Clearly he was too dangerous to own a firearm, and also too dangerous to drive hazardous materials.

[TXBK]

It seems to me that the shitbird was up to something, when the first DPS stop was initiated. But, that stop changed the direction of his plan. I think one of the troopers were from my corner of the universe, and I wish her well. Her partner was the first one wounded. I believe the “rampage” occurred because the “plan” was interrupted. I don’t believe what happened was planned, but was a desperate attempt to cause harm to as many as possible before being dispatched himself. The shitbird was obviously mentally ill, as his actions reflect. I don’t think the current state of the oilfield caused his illness. With that said, I stay as far away from Midland/Odessa as I can right now, for other reasons than this. The traffic is the main reason for me, and there are way too many roughnecks and service hands around.

For those without any knowledge of the current state of WTX/SENM, it is most definitely the Wild Wild West, right now. The roads aren’t designed to handle the traffic. Most rig hands aren’t the most personable, pillars of society. There are exceptions, including myself. There is a metric shit-ton of personnel operating 80k#+ trucks that have no business doing so, and service trucks with/without trailers, as well. I have heard stories of trucks of all sizes being involved in accidents, and the drivers are seen fleeing into the desert because they are illegal (illegal aliens or no license, who knows). I’ve personally seen and heard of accidents, that are very disturbing. That isn’t uncommon around oilfield traffic due to the amount of big truck traffic, but there is a very high concentration of it out here right now.

The first time I flew into Midland Intl was back in 1984, at the age of 4 by myself. It certainly must have been a different time for my parents to throw me on a plane by myself just to go see family. I first came out for work in 2014, but much has changed since then. I am quite familiar with WTX. I’ve been out here many times throughout my life. I can share lots of thoughts about the current state of WTX, but the bottom line is a mentally ill person did something crazy, and innocent people suffered because of is.

[fixer]

How the fuck does a guy who fails a NICS due to being adjudicated mentally unfit get a CDL with a damn HAZMAT endorsement?

Clown world.

Same way the industry handles safety training and associated certifications--rubber stamp or pencil whip. Hell even with JSA and LOTO its all pencil whip.


"Hit play on the video, sign here, you are done. I'll get your card laminated in a few minutes after I check in the other 400 neck-tats getting their H2S, OSHA 10, HAZWOPER, HAZMAT, CDL...."

LMAO my company now endorses online safety courses...

[Glenn E. Meyer]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/authorities-suspect-man-of-making-and-selling-gun-used-in-texas-shooting-11567639127?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1

Behind a pay wall, says they have a suspect for the gun.

[TheNewbie]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/authorities-suspect-man-of-making-and-selling-gun-used-in-texas-shooting-11567639127?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1

Behind a pay wall, says they have a suspect for the gun.




Edit- ok I googled the subject matter and was able to read the article. Makes more sense now what the issue was.

[JodyH]

Rumor is the guy is "manufacturing" firearms to sell without a FFL.
Probably assembling AR's from stripped lowers for profit.
They probably won't get him on selling to a prohibited person but they will probably get him for being an unlicensed manufacturer.

[Bigghoss]

Matt Carriker of Demolition Ranch/Vet Ranch/Off the Ranch went to visit Officer Zach Owens, one of the officers involved in taking down the shooter, while he was recovering in the hospital. Matt and his family have always been big supporters of military/LEO/first responders ect.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrOSZRh8wDQ

[TGS]

That's awesome, Bigghoss. Thanks so much for sharing.