Midland Standoff Concludes
Midland Police Standoff Ends After Hours, Suspect Dead, 11 Injured in Texas
Key Points
Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis confirmed the active shooter and said the suspected shooter was barricaded near several specific downtown landmarks, including the Tall City Vet Clinic, All American Collision, and the Victorian Inn.
A witness report said two bystanders were shot while waiting at a light near Eisenhower and Highway 80, though the claim was described as unconfirmed.
TxDOT confirmed that multiple roads in the area were closed because of the law-enforcement presence.
Authorities closed roads into the area from Highway 80 and told drivers to shelter in place and use alternate routes of travel.
Another report placed the suspect specifically on the second floor of the Victorian Inn (east of Rogers Ford).
An active shooter opened fire in downtown Midland, Texas, on Friday morning, leaving at least one person dead and ten others injured before barricading inside the Victorian Inn near West Wall Street and Eisenhower Drive, according to NewsWest 9. Midland Mayor Lori Blong confirmed the casualty count, telling reporters, "There were at least 10 victims and one fatality."
Police exchanged gunfire with the suspect, who witnesses placed on the second floor of the Victorian Inn, CBS News reported. Multiple law enforcement agencies flooded the area, roads were shut down for miles, and Midland Memorial Hospital went into lockdown as victims began arriving for treatment.
Suspect Barricaded at Victorian Inn as Police Move In
The first shots were reported around 8:50 a.m. CDT near the 4600 block of West Wall Street. Midland Police arrived by 9:15 a.m. and immediately reported active gunfire coming from an upper floor. Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis confirmed the shooter was barricaded near several downtown landmarks, including the Tall City Vet Clinic, All American Collision, and the Victorian Inn, The Odessa American reported.
By 11:15 a.m., police deployed armored vehicles to the scene. Tactical experts said the use of armored vehicles suggests officers were met with high-powered gunfire. The standoff stretched past midday, with officers continuing to exchange fire with the suspect, according to The Gateway Pundit.
Roads Shut Down, Hospital Locks Its Doors
TxDOT closed roughly 2.5 miles of Business 20 — also known as Wall Street — from Loop 250 to Midland Drive. Authorities also shut down roads entering the area from Highway 80. Police told drivers to avoid Eisenhower Drive, Industrial Avenue, and Midkiff Road and to use alternate routes, according to GV Wire.
Midland Memorial Hospital entered full lockdown at approximately 8:20 a.m. as the first victims arrived. The main campus lockdown was later lifted, but the Emergency Department stayed closed. The hospital also set up a Family Reunification Center in its cafeteria for families of the victims, Midland Health reported. Non-emergency cases were diverted to Odessa Regional Medical Center.
Unconfirmed Reports of Bystanders Shot at Traffic Light
A witness account claimed two bystanders were shot while waiting at a red light near Eisenhower Drive and Highway 80. The claim has not been confirmed by city officials. Mayor Blong's office said the ten-plus victims include those from the primary scene but has not specified where all of them were shot, according to NewsWest 9.
Midland Shooting Echoes Deadly 2019 Spree Attack
Friday's attack hit a region still raw from the August 31, 2019, Midland-Odessa spree shooting, in which Seth Aaron Ator killed seven people and injured 25 others with an AR-15-style rifle. After that attack, Midland and Odessa built a regional active-shooter protocol to pool resources quickly. That plan brought at least five agencies to the scene Friday, including Midland Police, the Ector County Sheriff's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Rangers, CBS News reported.
The closure of Business 20 — a key artery for oil-related freight between Midland and Odessa — is expected to cause serious logistical delays across the Permian Basin. Authorities said more information would be released as it becomes available. The situation remained active as of Friday midday.
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