TX - Gunman in Hijacked Mail Truck, multiple victims, Midland/Odessa, 31 August 2019

[MemPat]

Snipped.

Perhaps he hadn't had the driving job for very long - all the more frustrating that he was fired? It is odd to have a job and not have running water.

jmo

But he had money to buy an assault weapon and plenty of ammunition. Priorities.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The Red Cross offers the following tips to help people stay strong:

• Events like this can cause feelings of uncertainty and anxiety since no one knows what could potentially happen next. Remember that it’s okay to feel nervous.

• Stay informed but limit media exposure of the events, especially for children. Children are especially vulnerable to stress reactions related to media.

• Parents should let children talk about their fears and then reassure them about their safety. Talk with them in ways that they can easily understand. Let them guide the conversation; share details only when they ask about them.

• Be patient with yourself and others. It’s common to have any number of temporary stress reactions such as anger, frustration and anxiety.

• Spend more time with family and friends and offer your support. Hug one another and listen.

• Watch for signs of stress in your family, friends and children. Get help from others if needed.

• Take care of yourself. Eat healthily, drink plenty of water and get enough rest.

UTPD, Red Cross leave Austin to help victims in Odessa mass shooting

 

[MsBetsy]

But he had money to buy an assault weapon and plenty of ammunition. Priorities.

Had he bought them recently? Was that what the background check was for?

 

[human]

Had he bought them recently? Was that what the background check was for?

He failed the background check so where did he get the weapon?

 

[Lillymac]

He failed the background check so where did he get the weapon?

Why is it so hard for people understand these guns...any gun...can be bought on the street easier than buying a pack of cigarettes. They aren't legal, but they can still be purchased. All laws are circumvented by these illegal purchases. Just like prohibition...it didn't stop alcohol sales.

 

[Inthedetails]

Why is it so hard for people understand these guns...any gun...can be bought on the street easier than buying a pack of cigarettes. They aren't legal, but they can still be purchased. All laws are circumvented by these illegal purchases. Just like prohibition...it didn't stop alcohol sales.

Prohibition didn't stop illegal liquor sales, that's true, but Prohibition didn't end because of that reason. The decision to end Prohibition was made so that tax money on the sales could be collected. We needed the tax money. 1930s.

Not sure the Prohibition - gun analogy is a good fit, in my opinion.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

Has anyone read/heard anything about the shooter calling 911 DURING his shooting spree? I listened to a news story this evening and I'm sure that is what was reported, but now I can't find it.

jmo

 

[human]

Why is it so hard for people understand these guns...any gun...can be bought on the street easier than buying a pack of cigarettes. They aren't legal, but they can still be purchased. All laws are circumvented by these illegal purchases. Just like prohibition...it didn't stop alcohol sales.

It will be great if the seller is caught and busted and has to serve a nice long prison sentence

 

[MsBetsy]

He failed the background check so where did he get the weapon?

Well, weapons are easy to get illegally, I was just asking if that was what the background check was for and if he had gotten the weapon just recently.
So the answer to both is yes, I guess. Imo

 

[imstilla.grandma]

As neighbors focus on preparing to head back to work and school, some of them say it is tough. However, many people spent time seeking out distractions to keep their minds off the tragedy.

"Right now, in west Texas, we’re hurting," Mike Lemons said.

People across the nation are watching updates on the mass shooting. Some residents say that senseless act of violence is not what they want their community to be known for.

"Our families are here," said Juliana Meraz. "It’s home. It’s where we make a living."

Many neighbors say they want to focus on how their community is uniting and responding during troubling times.

Law enforcement officers also took time to share some vulnerable moments. As agents from the F.B.I., Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Rangers cleared one of the last crimes scenes, they gathered in a circle and bowed their heads to pray.

"We are strong! We’re Texas tough! We’ll get through this!” Lemons said.
'We'll get through this': Neighbors in West Texas want to focus on sense of community

 

[MassGuy]

Has anyone read/heard anything about the shooter calling 911 DURING his shooting spree? I listened to a news story this evening and I'm sure that is what was reported, but now I can't find it.

jmo

Both Ator and his employer, Journey Oilfield Services, called 911 right after the firing, Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said.

"Basically, they were complaining on each other because they had a disagreement over the firing," Gerke said at a press conference Monday.

Shortly before being stopped by a Department of Public Safety trooper, Ator also called the FBI national tip line, but he made "no threats of any type of violence," Gerke said.

That changed during the shooting spree, when Ator called 911 twice. In those calls, he was telling the dispatcher that "he's the guy doing it," Combs said.

West Texas gunman called 911, FBI just before massacre, police say - CNN

 

[Inthedetails]

Both Ator and his employer, Journey Oilfield Services, called 911 right after the firing, Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said.

"Basically, they were complaining on each other because they had a disagreement over the firing," Gerke said at a press conference Monday.

Shortly before being stopped by a Department of Public Safety trooper, Ator also called the FBI national tip line, but he made "no threats of any type of violence," Gerke said.

That changed during the shooting spree, when Ator called 911 twice. In those calls, he was telling the dispatcher that "he's the guy doing it," Combs said.

West Texas gunman called 911, FBI just before massacre, police say - CNN

Thanks for finding that! Very odd behavior to call 911 while still proceeding with the crime. jmo

 

[MassGuy]

Thanks for finding that! Very odd behavior to call 911 while still proceeding with the crime. jmo

It’s unusual, but it has happened before.

Omar Mateen, the Pulse Nightclub shooter, also called 911 during that massacre.

He called a news outlet as well.

 

[AllWeNeedIsLove]

Terrible. When is this going to stop?

 

[margarita25]

Terrible. When is this going to stop?

It’s not. Moo.

 

[enelram]

It’s not. Moo.

agree.
more crazies + more assault guns= more mass shootings.

 

[margarita25]

agree.
more crazies + more assault guns= more mass shootings.

Yeah its messed up. I’ve said this before in other threads but IMO we are past the point of no return, sorry to say (it doesn’t mean we can’t try and/or achieve some progress possibly); there are just too many nut jobs out there, young and not so young. It’s just like child molesters: can we ever really stop a child molester from molesting? Not an easy task to mentally cure all the pedophiles in the world.

It’s also obvious the guy got a gun anyway despite the background check fail. If someone wants to get one, they’re going to get it. Do we need to make it easy for them? Of course not.

I’m very minimally through some of my small case studies and would like to continue working on this from the “mental” and statistical sides, looking for links so I can pick up train of thought.

Studies in Progress:

1) Ten Mass Shooters: Comparison and Analysis

2) 10 Year Projection Chart for Mass Shooting Incidents
2020 -2030

Everything is JMO

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Why is it so hard for people understand these guns...any gun...can be bought on the street easier than buying a pack of cigarettes. They aren't legal, but they can still be purchased. All laws are circumvented by these illegal purchases. Just like prohibition...it didn't stop alcohol sales.

This reminds me. Back in the day, one place to buy guns was at gun shows. I wonder what the current regulations are on this now (purchasing a gun at at a gun show). Would this be a State- specific thing? Do they have the same rules that gun retailers do? I would think so..how much do they enforce these rules? Something to google.

 

[enelram]

You would be surprised at how many 'average'
people own assault weapons.
After a mass shooting a couple years back, in my
daily travels and discussing the most recent shooting, I came across 3 people who admitted
to having an AR-15 type rifle. THREE.
It sounded like they viewed this as having the
'latest' phone model or the 'with it' new game.
So there are uncountable # of these weapons
out there on the street, in cars and in closets.

 

[MsBetsy]

Yeah its messed up. I’ve said this before in other threads but IMO we are past the point of no return, sorry to say (it doesn’t mean we can’t try and/or achieve some progress possibly); there are just too many nut jobs out there, young and not so young. It’s just like child molesters: can we ever really stop a child molester from molesting? Not an easy task to mentally cure all the pedophiles in the world.

It’s also obvious the guy got a gun anyway despite the background check fail. If someone wants to get one, they’re going to get it. Do we need to make it easy for them? Of course not.

I’m very minimally through some of my small case studies and would like to continue working on this from the “mental” and statistical sides, looking for links so I can pick up train of thought.

Studies in Progress:

1) Ten Mass Shooters: Comparison and Analysis

2) 10 Year Projection Chart for Mass Shooting Incidents
2020 -2030

Everything is JMO

—-



This reminds me. Back in the day, one place to buy guns was at gun shows. I wonder what the common regulations are on this now (purchasing a gun at at a gun show). Would this be a State- specific thing? Do they have the same rules that gun retailers do? I would think so..how much do they enforce these rules? Something to google.

You can still buy guns at gun shows and I'm pretty sure background checks are not required in most states. Imo

 

[margarita25]

You can still buy guns at gun shows and I'm pretty sure background checks are not required in most states. Imo

Ok nooowwwwwww we’re maybe getting somewhere, moo.

Here’s a question then.

In the states that do require background checks, do they implement these faithfully at the gun shows?

Idk, just a tangent...

—

So what all states require background checks?

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If a shooter has no prior flags he’ll pass the bg check anyway. Many of them don’t have criminal records, moo.