Mass Shooting In Texas Leaves 7 Dead

At least seven people have been killed and many more injured in the second mass shooting in the US state of Texas in a month.

First to be shot was a policeman who stopped the gunman’s car between the cities of Midland and Odessa.

The gunman went on to shoot at numerous motorists and passers-by. At one point, he abandoned his car and stole a postal truck before continuing his rampage.

Police eventually shot him dead at a cinema complex.

The motive of the gunman, who was white and in his mid-30s, was unclear.

About 20 people were injured in the latest incident, three of them police officers – although the police said not all of them were shot. Some were cut by glass when their car windows were hit by bullets and shattered.

An infant aged 17 months was struck in his face by a bullet fragment and airlifted to hospital, Odessa’s Medical Center Hospital says. Seven other patients were in a serious condition.

Saturday’s incident began just after 15:00 (20:00 GMT), police say, after two Texas Department of Public Safety officers pulled over a vehicle on a Midland highway.

The driver then opened fire on the officers before driving away. He then began shooting at other people in several other locations.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he was “horrified to see such a senseless act”. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said: “We will not allow the Lone Star State to be overrun by hatred and violence. We will unite, as Texans always do, to respond to this tragedy.”