Texas gunman was fired from job, called FBI before shooting

[TomCADem]

Source: Associated Press

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — The gunman in a spate of violence after a routine traffic stop in West Texas had just been fired from his job and called both police and the FBI before the shooting began, authorities said Monday.

Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said 36-year-old Seth Aaron Ator had been fired Saturday from Journey Oilfield Services. He said both Ator and the company called 911 after the firing but that Ator was gone by the time police showed up. FBI special agent Christopher Combs says Ator's statements on the phone were "rambling."

Authorities said Ator killed seven people and injured at least 22 others Saturday before officers killed him outside a busy movie theater in Odessa.

Combs said Ator "was on a long spiral down" before the shooting and that he went to work that day "in trouble."

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-gunman-was-fired-from-job-called-fbi-before-shooting/ar-AAGGmv0?li=BBnb7Kz

[PSPS]

1. "Enraged"

"This did not happen because he was fired. He showed up to work enraged," said FBI special agent Christopher Combs of the suspected shooter.

Combs said the place where Ator lived was "a strange residence" and that the condition reflected "what his mental state was going into this." He didn't elaborate.

Online court records show Ator was arrested in 2001 for a misdemeanor offense that would not have prevented him from legally purchasing firearms in Texas, although authorities have not said where Ator got the "AR style" weapon he used.

"On a long spiral down," "showed up to work enraged," "condition reflected 'what his mental state was going into this.'" with a "AR style" weapon.

[EveHammond13]

7. they are hiding his social media from us. wonder why.

[Sapient Donkey]

16. How do you know he simply didn't have social media?

Do you have information that confirms your statement? If you search for me on social media based on my real name and identity, you won't find anything. Most people I know also share this trait. In fact, I'd say this is increasing because people are more conscious of their privacy these days.

I am not saying the social media hasn't been scrubbed, but there has to be more proof that it existed at some point. It not existing is not proof that it once existed and was deleted after the shootings.

[Beartracks]

8. Would a Red Flag law have helped in this case?

[mountain grammy]

2. The weird thing about Texans is ...

And I can only talk about my right wing, evangelical Baptist in laws, trumpers to the bone, is the more they get what they want, the more pissed 😡 off they are..

[underpants]

3. A. failed background check. B. Where was the communication between LEO's?

If the trooper who pulled him over knew that this guy was much more of a risk than a normal stop maybe this could have been handled differently. Hindsight, I know.


He also tweeted that Ator failed a previous gun background check and didn't go through one for the weapon he used in Odessa. He did not elaborate, and a spokesman referred questions to the Texas Department of Public Safety, which didn't immediately respond for comment.

[GB_RN]

4. If, As The Reichwing Says,

That people are the problem, and NOT guns, then WHY in the hell would you give a GUN to the PROBLEM???

[IronLionZion]

9. They should change things to stop it from happening again

but probably won't.

[NickB79]

20. Universal background checks now.

[turbinetree]

5. Lets see he failed the background check...................and then there is Ammon Bundy.............

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212425779

[IronLionZion]

10. Ammon Bundy boasts of committing crimes

and getting away with it to do it again.

[turbinetree]

15. I just don't understand how someone can come right out and have criminal intent

and brag about it and admit that he is is going to break the law.......................................I just don't get it............................

[Democrats_win]

18. Conservative once were outraged by such things.

Now it's us Liberals who are outraged that someone brags about committing crimes. Something has gone terribly wrong in America.

[BigmanPigman]

6. The enablers will say this is a Mental Health issue and not a gun issue.

He had no water and electricity and shot animals in his yard to eat. They will NOT say that there are tons of people who are crazier than that all over the world but they don't kill random people because they don't have access to military style guns.

[IronLionZion]

11. Hunting in a residential area is a crime in most places

and there are 2nd amendment nuts who worry liberals will report them as mentally ill and dangerous to have their guns taken away.

[warmfeet]

12. Our entire system is effed up beyond belief.

This is not happening because of mental health issues. Mental health issues are in evidence in every other country on earth, and at a rate consistent with our country.

It is also not due to video games. People play video games all over this planet, and at a rate consistent with this country.

It is happening because the effing repukelicans refuse to go against their masters, the nra, because much of their power depends on them and their funding.

Guns, yes guns, are the problem. Anyone telling you different is selling something.

Just say no! No to guns, no to repukelicans.

If we Democrats want things to change, vote the effing repubs out of office! They are a threat to your life and to my life. They threaten all life. It's past time to change this sheet.

Hope and Pray - eff that sheet!

[Iggo]

13. .

[Aristus]

14. Oh. And I thought it was video games.

My bad...

[Toorich]

17. Not video games...

... it's that damn rock and roll that all these kids are hearing.

[Democrats_win]

19. Primary problem: guns. Secondary problem: economic system

According to Wikipedia, this guy's house didn't even have utilities!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland%E2%80%93Odessa_shooting

Certainly semi-automatics should be banned as they once were, but our economic system is making people crazy. Even Trump's lame brain understands the role of poor mental conditions. Forty years of screwing the American people economically is taking its toll. The media is mentioning his job loss as a truck driver. You do realize that truck drivers are in high demand these days? Maybe he would be better off if he did have social media to vent on. But without utilities, he just had to sit on his roof and kill rabbits and frighten the neighbors.

Andrew Yang's proposal of $1000 a month is a necessity--after Bernie's or Elizabeth's Medicare for all proposals. People need economic help as their debts and lack of living wages drive them over the edge. Yeah, Yang's proposal is expensive, but look how we're throwing money away at this new intermediate missile arms race that Trump has started. Or look at how we're going to waste countless billions on the Space Force. It's time to spend the money on our people. We need help. They voted for Trump. Let's hope our Democrats deliver this time!