Police in Texas said on Saturday two gunmen were at large after a shooting, reportedly at a branch of the Home Depot hardware store in Odessa, left “multiple gunshot victims”.
Odessa police said a suspect “hijacked a US mail carrier truck” and added: “Subject (possibly 2) is currently driving around Odessa shooting at random people. At this time there are multiple gunshot victims.”
In its post to Facebook, the Odessa police department said: “The suspect just hijacked a US mail carrier truck and was last seen in the area of 38th and Walnut. Everyone is encouraged to get off the road and use extreme caution! All law enforcement is currently searching for the suspect and more information will be released as soon as it becomes available.”
Local and national media reported the Texas Department of Public Safety said several people including an officer had been shot. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin was on lockdown.
In a first post on its own Facebook page on Saturday afternoon, the Midland police department noted reports of “an active shooter” at the Home Depot in Odessa and advised people to stay off the roads.
In an update, the department posted: “We believe there are two shooters in two separate vehicles. One suspect is believed to be at the Cinergy in Midland and the other is believed to be driving on Loop 250 in Midland.”
The statement added: “The two vehicles in question are: gold/white small Toyota truck and a USPS Postal Van. Please stay away from these areas and stay indoors.”
The Cinergy in Midland is a multiplex cinema. Midland and Odessa are in the western part of Texas, about 20 miles apart.
According to a local CBS affiliate, authorities later brought a suspect into custody at the Cinergy cinema. The station also reported that the City of Odessa said there were 20 injuries.
The White House said Donald Trump had been briefed. The president, who was monitoring the approach of Hurricane Dorian on Saturday, flew to his golf club in Virginia earlier, from the Maryland retreat at Camp David.
The former San Antonio mayor Julián Castro, a candidate for the Democratic nomination to run against Trump, said on Twitter: “Heartbreaking news out of Odessa and Midland, Texas as police search for an active shooter at-large. Stay indoors and monitor news alerts and safety protocols.”
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