5 dead, 21 wounded in mass shooting in Midland-Odessa, Texas; shooter killed - USA TODAY
5 dead, 21 wounded in mass shooting in Midland-Odessa, Texas; shooter killed - USA TODAY |
- 5 dead, 21 wounded in mass shooting in Midland-Odessa, Texas; shooter killed - USA TODAY
- Dorian, packing near 150 mph winds, on track to skirt Florida coast - USA TODAY
- Cowboys' Joneses take to air waves ahead of cutdown day - Cowboys Wire
| 5 dead, 21 wounded in mass shooting in Midland-Odessa, Texas; shooter killed - USA TODAY Posted: 31 Aug 2019 02:57 PM PDT CLOSE  At least five people have been killed and 21 injured in Midland, Texas, shot by a man who has been killed by police, according to a press conference with Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke. The shooter was described by local authorities as a white male in his mid-30s. The incident started with a traffic violation. The driver opened fire on the officer and fled the scene. The incident began at 2 pm. CST and led to a chase, but it remains unclear where most of the other shootings took place or when the shooter changed cars and got into a USPS truck. The shooting comes not long after two other mass casualty event in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. No motive has been given for the Midland-Odessa shooting. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement that he would be traveling to the area on Sunday. "I want to remind all Texans that we will not allow the Lone Star State to be overrun by hatred and violence," said Abbott. Civilian video broadcast by local TV station CBS7 showed a white USPS van, allegedly hijacked by the suspect at some point in his rampage, crashing into a series of police cars set up to block his progress. The van stops, and officers quickly approach the van with guns drawn. Just a few weeks ago, CBS7, which operates in the Music City Mall in Odessa, and the Music City Mall together hosted a blood drive to help victims of the mass shooting in El Paso. Three officers were listed among the injured, including one Midland police officer, one Odessa police officer and one Texas Department of Public Safety officer. Russell Tippin, CEO of Medical Health Systems hospital, said 14 shooting victims were being cared for at the facility. He declined to give their ages. "If you hear my voice, you need to hug your families," he said during a press conference in front of the hospital, which remains on lock down. Earlier in the day, online and police reports from the Midland and Odessa area of north-central Texas reported that two shooters were traveling in two separate vehicles: one in a small Toyota truck and the other in a USPS Postal van, but this information proved incorrect. CBS7 twice had its news anchors clear the set as police officers came through the mall with guns drawn. Later, the anchors said they had to leave the mall entirely, but they continued broadcasting via wireless microphones. "For the safety of the public and law enforcement please stay away from the area and stay in your homes," the Midland Police Department said on Twitter. According to the Associated Press, the White House has been briefed on the situation. According to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit that tracks such incidents, there have been 280 mass shootings in 2019, as defined by there being four or more people killed excluding the perpetrators. To date, including this shooting, 602 people have died in mass shootings in 2019 and 2,356 have been injured. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/31/police-search-active-shooters-midland-odessa-texas/2181462001/  |
| Dorian, packing near 150 mph winds, on track to skirt Florida coast - USA TODAY Posted: 31 Aug 2019 05:14 AM PDT CLOSE The National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. EDT advisory that Dorian, packing near 150 mph winds as a Category 4 "major" hurricane, was located about 415 miles east of West Palm Beach. USA TODAY As a strengthened Hurricane Dorian bore down on the Bahamas Saturday, new tracking forecasts suggested the storm would likely turn north before hitting Florida, and skirt the coast toward the Carolinas. But even as Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina braced for a possible hit, forecasters and government officials warned Floridians not to ease up on preparations for a devastating storm early next week. "Everyone's waking up and saying, 'whoa, it's a little further east, maybe things are OK.' But we've got to be careful at this time," said Ken Graham, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, on Saturday morning. Stay updated on Dorian this weekend: Get USA TODAY's Daily Briefing in your inbox Even offshore, Dorian could bring tropical storm force winds stretching 100 miles from the center and hurricane winds about 20 to 30 miles from the center. "I've seen a lot of storms bigger than that but at the same time when it gets close to the coast, people have a tendency just to look at the center, but you have to think of it as bigger," said Graham. Still some Floridians were cautiously optimistic. A mandatory evacuation order for Brevard County's barrier island was postponed for by 24 hours — from 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday — until the hurricane's final track was firmer. The National Hurricane Center said in its 5 p.m. EDT advisory that Dorian, packing sustained winds of 150 mph as a Category 4 "major" hurricane, was located about 355 miles east of West Palm Beach, slowing to 8 mph. A tropical storm watch has been issued for part of Florida's east coast, from Deerfield Beach to Sebastian Inlet. The NHC said the latest track suggested that the core of Dorian should move over the Atlantic well north of the southeastern and central Bahamas Saturday and near or over the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday. That would put it near the Florida east coast late Monday or Tuesday. That track would put the storm off the coast of South Carolina on Thursday morning. The biggest danger for the Bahamas, particularly in the northwest, was the slowdown in Dorian's forward speed from 12 mph to 8 mph. That set up a scenario of even more torrential rains as the storm lingered over the archipelago in the Atlantic. In addition, a storm surge could reach as much as much as 10 to 15 feet above normal tide levels with onshore winds. Major cruise lines began rerouting ships and airlines began allowing travelers to change their reservations without an extra charge. With the storm's westward path in flux, the NHC also said the risk of strong winds and life-threatening surge was increasing along the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina during the middle of next week. "It should be noted that the new forecast track does not preclude Dorian making landfall on the Florida coast, as large portions of the coast remain in the track cone of uncertainty," the Hurricane Center said. With an increased threat along the coast, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has declared a state of emergency in his state. Officials in Brevard and Martin counties on Florida's east coast announced mandatory evacuations for residents of barrier islands and low-laying areas in advance of Hurricane Dorian, beginning Sunday morning. Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded state of emergency declarations throughout all of Florida's 67 counties and warned Floridians to have a hurricane plan in place. CLOSE Gov. Ron DeSantis with the latest on Hurricane Dorian from the Florida Department of Emergency Management. Tallahassee Democrat Shoppers were lining up to buy supplies and water as waits at gas stations grew. Some scattered fuel shortages were reported Friday. Sandbags were also being distributed by local governments. National guard troops are expected to be deployed in the comings days, too. President Donald Trump, who canceled a trip to Poland to monitor the storm from Camp David, also declared a state of emergency to facilitate federal recovery efforts for the storm's potential destruction. A prolonged period of storm surge, high winds, and rainfall is possible in portions of Florida into next week, including the possibility of hurricane-force winds over inland portions of the Florida peninsula. Heavy rains, capable of life-threatening flash floods, are expected over portions of the Bahamas and coastal sections of the southeastern United States this weekend through much of next week. Forecaster said some areas could get up to a foot of rain, with isolated areas hit by up to 15 inches. "You're looking at a potentially significant water event throughout portions of the state," DeSantis told reporters Friday. Tropical storm conditions with high-powered winds could arrive as early as Saturday night. Florida Power and Light, which operates more than 48,000 miles of overhead power lines, activated its emergency response plan and will have nearly 13,000 employees on hand to restore power after the storm, the utility said in a news release Friday. It was also working with utilities across the country to secure additional resources and position crews before the storm hits. Florida residents scrambled to get last minute provisions. Josefine Larrauri, a retired translator, told the Associated Press that she went to a Publix supermarket in Miami only to find empty shelves in the water section. "I feel helpless because the whole coast is threatened," she told the news agency. "What's the use of going all the way to Georgia if it can land there?" Lauren Harvey, 51, in Vero Beach, told the AP this was her first hurricane alone in Florida and that she felt unprepared. "I just moved here, so I'm lost," she said. "I don't know what I'm going to do." Contributing: Janine Zeitlin, News-Press; Doyle Rice and Ryan Miller, USA TODAY. The Associated Press. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/31/hurricane-dorian-storm-strengthens-path-toward-florida/2177471001/  |
| Cowboys' Joneses take to air waves ahead of cutdown day - Cowboys Wire Posted: 31 Aug 2019 05:13 AM PDT With the preseason slate wrapped up, Jerry Jones and the brain trust seemingly have a lot more free time on their hands. So much so, that the Jones family called into 105.3 The Fan three separate times on Friday. True to form, the free-wheeling conversations ran the gamut from breaking news to signature tongue-in-cheek press bombs, all sprinkled in throughout the workday. In the morning, Jones revealed DE Taco Charlton will make the 53-man roster, in-between stirring the pot in the latest Ezekiel Elliott saga. Jones seemed to be bracing for the start of the season with Elliott still absent, defending his team's position in face of the star running back's new contract demands. His comments sparked debate over the current structure of NFL contracts. Jones has remained optimistic and complimentary about Elliott throughout the summer, but with Week One on the horizon, he seems to be changing his tune. After lunch, Stephen Jones took a turn on-air, revealing more roster news by estimating how many defensive lineman the team will keep, and confirming rookie DB Donovan Wilson's spot on the 53-man roster. While Wilson seemingly escaped major injury, Jones also expressed that he may still miss some time. The other major news delivered by Jones dealt with a pair of oft-suspended defensive players. Not only is LB Rolando McClain apparently set to return to the league, but Randy Gregory may also be on a similar path. While McClain isn't likely to stick around, the return of Gregory could have huge implications for the regular season. On his way out, Jones fanned the fire under Dak Prescott's feet, insinuating his son's presence at Arkansas should motivate him to agree to a long-term deal, nepotism be damned. If that wasn't enough, the elder Jones later returned, unexpectedly dropping back in on 105.3, to correct something for the record. Jones wanted to make sure no questions his desire to win this season. All in a day's work, as the team enters crunch-time before the start of the new season. The Jones family hopefully set in motion their last-minute agenda items before kickoff.  |
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