On the 12th, a mass shooting occurred in Midland, Texas, resulting in 2 deaths—including the shooter—and 10 injured.
Midland Mayor Blong said at a press conference that there are already 11 victims in the incident, with one person dying at the scene. Shortly after, the local government posted on social media that the shooter has been confirmed dead and an investigation is underway.
The shooter has been identified as 45-year-old Villarreal, a resident of Odessa, Texas. Villarreal had been wanted for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer after allegedly firing several shots at a Midland police officer on the 10th.
Authorities stated that around 8 a.m. on the 12th, law enforcement received a report of a shooting in the 4600 block of West Wall Street, in southwest Midland. When officers arrived at the scene, Villarreal fired at officers and bystanders, then fled into an abandoned veterinary clinic, where a standoff ensued. Villarreal was ultimately found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Gun violence is all too common in the United States. The website 'Gun Violence Archive' released its latest statistics on the 12th, showing that there have been 182 mass shooting incidents in the U.S. so far this year. The website defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are injured or killed, excluding the perpetrator.