Seth Aaron Ator called a national tip line and reportedly rambled on about the “atrocities that he felt that he had gone through,” 15 minutes prior to opening fire in Odessa, Texas last weekend killing seven and wounding 22. It’s also reported Ator had been fired from his job at Journey Oilfield Services the morning of the shooting as well.
“He did not make a threat during that phone call,” FBI special agent Christopher Combs said during Monday’s news conference. “
Officials said it was difficult to figure out who or where he was at the time. Shortly after getting off the phone, Ator shot a trooper with AR-15-style rifle during a routine traffic stop and then proceeded to shoot and kill more people in west Texas.
Initially, Police Chief Michael Gerke didn’t release Ator’s name to the public on account of not wanting to give the 36-year-old any more notoriety. However, Ator’s identity was released later via Facebook.
Monday afternoon (Sept. 2) police released the names and ages of those killed in the second-mass shooting to affect the Lone Star State. The August 3, El Passo shooting left 22 people dead and countless others in mourning.
The names and ages of the Odessa victims were released including a 17-month-old girl who was hit in the mouth with shrapnel. A Go Fund Me account has been established for her medical needs and at the time of this post has raised more than $200,000.
Among the 22 injured were also three law enforcement officers.
The Associated Press reports Ator had a prior misdemeanor arrest. It’s unclear at this time how he was able to get the riffle.
