A confirmed shooting in Midland, Texas, has left multiple people injured and one dead, along with the suspected gunman.
Midland police responded to the shooting after 8 a.m. on Friday, June 12, in the 4600 block of West Wall Street and, for a time, were in a “standoff” with the gunman.
City of Midland confirmed, around 11:30 a.m., in a statement that the “active shooter incident has been resolved, and the suspect is confirmed deceased.”
Texas Department of Public Safety later identified the alleged gunman as Victor Mata Villarreal, 45.
Here is what we know right now.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the alleged gunman was identified as 45-year-old Victor Mata Villarreal.
Prior to Friday’s shooting, Villarreal had been wanted for attempted capital murder of a peace officer after firing multiple shots at an MPD officer during a vehicle pursuit on Wednesday, June 10.
No. According to the City of Midland, the “active shooter incident has been resolved, and the suspect is confirmed deceased.”
However, the city noted that the scene remains active and has not been cleared, and that road closures in the area are expected to remain in place for the foreseeable future as the investigation continues.
Midland police were first dispatched at 8:03 a.m. to respond to a report of an active shooter in the 4600 block of West Wall Street.
According to the Texas DPS, preliminary information shows that when law enforcement arrived, Mata Villarreal began firing shots at officers and bystanders and then barricaded himself inside an abandoned veterinary clinic building.
Officers then entered a standoff with Mata Villarreal until he was found dead in the building around 12:30 p.m. CST.
Director of Planning, Marketing and Communications Tasa Richardson told USA TODAY that Midland Memorial Hospital received nine of the victims connected to the active shooter incident.
As of 1 p.m. CT, two people remained in stable condition at the hospital; three people had been discharged. Of the remaining four, three were still in surgery and another person who underwent surgery was in recovery.
The identities of those injured have not been made public at this time.
During a news conference, Midland Mayor Lori Blong confirmed that one person was killed. The identity of the person killed has not been made public at this time.
In total, the mayor said there are 11 known victims.
Officials said they were not aware of any injuries to law enforcement officers as of the briefing.
The Family Unification Center is open at Midland Memorial Hospital, located at 400 Rosalind Redfern Grover Parkway.
Individuals seeking information about loved ones are encouraged to call (432) 631-4689 for assistance.
No. Former President George W. Bush does not live in Midland but rather resides in the Dallas area in North Texas.
However, according to the Texas Historical Commission, the Bush Family Home — where George W. and his father, George H.W. Bush, lived in the 1950s — is in Midland and a state historical site.
Lubbock Police Chief Seth Herman is the most recent former Midland police chief, having served from 2018 to 2025.
Herman told USA TODAY that his heart goes out to his former community during this time.
“We hate to see it in any community, but obviously, having been in Midland for over 30 years, it has a special place in my heart,” Herman said.
His sentiments were joined by Texas leaders, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, state House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Gov. Greg Abbott.
“We are praying for the victims, their families, and the entire community,” Abbott said in a statement. “I have been briefed on the matter and commend the swift response from the Midland Police Department, DPS and all assisting law enforcement agencies.”
This is not the first mass shooting event in the Midland-Odessa region in recent history.
On Aug. 31, 2019, Seth Aaron Ator, 36, started the morning with being fired from Journey Oilfield Services. Ator called 911 and the FBI to complain about it, according to then Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke.
Ator was soon pulled over for a routine traffic stop and opened fire on two state troopers. He sped off in his vehicle, shooting randomly at motorists and pedestrians before hijacking a U.S. Postal Services truck and killing postal worker Mary Granados. His path of violence ended at a Cinergy movie theater in Odessa, where he was shot and killed by police.
This one-hour spree of violence ended with the deaths of:
The mass shooting left another 26 injured, including children and law enforcement, and led to the eventual sentencing of Lubbock arms dealer Marcus Anthony Braziel, 45, of Lubbock in October 2020.
Mateo Rosiles, Natassia Paloma and Brandi Addison are Texas Connect reports for the USA TODAY Network.
Leave a Reply