1 killed, 10 hurt in mass shooting in Midland, Texas; suspect also dead: DPS
(MIDLAND, Texas) — One victim was killed and 10 others were injured in a mass shooting in Midland, Texas, on Friday morning, and the suspected gunman is dead following a standoff with police, authorities said.
When police responded to an active shooter report around 8 a.m. local time Friday, the suspect, Victor Mata Villarreal, allegedly fired at bystanders and officers, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
Villarreal, 45, then barricaded himself in an abandoned veterinary clinic, DPS said. After an hourslong standoff, the Odessa, Texas, resident was found dead in the building around 12:30 p.m. local time, authorities said.
Nine victims were taken to Midland Memorial Hospital, where four were rushed into surgery and five were admitted in stable condition, hospital officials said. The five in stable condition have since been discharged, officials said.
The victims have not been identified. DPS said no law enforcement officers were hurt.
Villarreal had been wanted for attempted capital murder of an officer after he allegedly fired multiple shots at police during a car chase on Wednesday, DPS said.
He fled from that scene on Wednesday and went into hiding, according to law enforcement. On Friday, when officers tried to apprehend him, he began opening fire, according to law enforcement.
Midland Mayor Lori Blong said at a news conference, “I would really ask Midlanders to pray for the families of those who have been impacted, for the victims themselves, for the family of the one who is confirmed deceased.”
ABC News’ Alex Stone and Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
A drone is seen carrying a payload as photographed by the Georgia Department of Corrections. (Georgia Department of Corrections)
(NEW YORK) — Twelve individuals have been charged in what the Justice Department is calling a vast conspiracy to smuggle contraband into 10 federal prisons across the country through a coordinated drone operation.
The 17-count indictment, unsealed Wednesday, alleges that starting in September 2023, those charged allegedly used six drones to drop contraband at least 38 times into 10 federal prisons from Atlanta to Mississippi.
The Bureau of Prisons has a drone alert system that notifies prison staff when a drone is nearby, according to court documents.
Some of the individuals charged in the indictment unsealed Wednesday were inmates at prisons around the country and used cellphones to schedule drops at various prisons.
The contraband was allegedly stored at what is referred to in court records as “The Lab.”
(NEW YORK) — Millions across the Southwest are on alert for life-threatening flash flooding this week, with the worst of the flooding forecast for Arizona, New Mexico, southern Utah and southern Colorado.
It’s already been one of the wettest Septembers on record for parts of the Southwest. Albuquerque, New Mexico, has recorded 3.31 inches of rain this month, marking the second wettest September ever.
On Monday, a level 3 of 4 flood threat is in place for parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. Areas bracing for dangerous conditions include Santa Fe, New Mexico; Flagstaff, Arizona; Grand Canyon National Park; Zion National Park; and Bryce Canyon National Park.
One to 3 inches of rain is possible, which is more than a month’s worth of rain in one day for some areas.
The level 3 flood threats will continue on Tuesday, with 4 to 6 inches of rain possible in some areas Monday through Wednesday. The significant threat will span from Tucson, Arizona, to Albuquerque to Lamar, Colorado, Amarillo, Texas and El Paso, Texas.
On Wednesday and Thursday, a level 3 of 4 flood threat is in place for Dallas, where significant flooding is possible.
Jake Rosmarin, one of the American passengers who was on the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship, is speaking out while quarantining. (ABC News)
(NEW YORK) — An American cruise ship passenger who has been quarantining at a Nebraska facility after being exposed to hantavirus said he plans to remain there for the full 42 days.
Jake Rosmarin, who is from Boston, has been at Nebraska’s National Quarantine Unit since May 11. He said staying the full six weeks is the best way to keep his loved ones safe.
“I have been traumatized by this whole experience. I’m afraid to leave this room until I know that the chance of me getting sick is 0%,” he told ABC News. “I want to know when I leave that the chances of me risking other people, my family, friends, the general public, I want know that my risk isn’t minimal. I want that also to be 0%.”
Not all of the 18 Americans who were sent to the facility are staying the full 42 days, which was recommended by health officials.
The incubation period — or the time that passes between exposure and when the first symptoms appear — for the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is believed to be behind the cruise ship cluster, is 42 days.
After the mandatory 21-day quarantine period, many have returned home to self-quarantine for the next 21 days, Rosmarin said. It’s unclear how many left and how many are staying.
On Friday, the New York State Department of Health said two New Yorkers who were quarantining in Nebraska are returning to the state this week.
The two people will be transported via non-commercial flights and complete the remainder of their 42-day monitoring period in residences located out of New York City.
The health department said the individuals have agreed to remain at home and avoid contact with other people. Plans are in place in the event the two people develop symptoms, health officials said.
Rosmarin — who had been traveling by himself — said he wanted to stay in Nebraska because those quarantining at the facility have quick access to medical care and testing, the latter of which is twice a week.
“Once you go home, you’re not gonna be able to be tested,” he said. “So, if you start getting sick, like you may not find out right away and you might not be able to get that care as quickly as possible.”
Rosmarin said he has tried to establish a routine during his time in quarantine, which includes getting up between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. and exercising on a stationary bike.
He said he passes the time by completing puzzles, putting together Lego sets and crocheting.
“I have a calendar where I cross off the days going down,” Rosmarin said. “I watch new TV shows, new movies. I started a book and, honestly, the days have been flying by. The fact that it’s already been 21 days is kind of crazy to me.”
As of May 27, the World Health Organization said the total number of hantavirus cases remains at 13 and all linked back to the MV Hondius cruise ship.
Additionally, the number of deaths remains at three, including a married Dutch couple and a female German national.
“Given the long incubation period of up to six weeks, it is not unexpected that cases continue to be reported until the end of the six weeks since last exposure,” the WHO wrote in a bulletin last week.
