Texas State Troopers attempted to stop the gold colored car for a traffic violation at Milemarker 131. This is the intersection between Loop 250 and I-20, Southwest side of Midland.
Two troopers were in the car. Normally two troopers in a patrol vehicle is indicative of a training situation, as is the advertised reason for the stop.
Perp opened fire through his rear windshield AND the windshield of the patrol vehicle, wounding one of the troopers. Perp speeds away, west to Odessa, some 20 miles distant and opens fire on cars and vehicles adjacent on the Interstate highway, randomly.
Perp apparently exits I - 20 Loop onto Loop 338 - the bypass around Odessa. Loop 338 joins TX 191. TX 191 runs east - At some point, he ditches the gold car and steals a USPS van killing the USPS worker.
The Police have established a Catch at the Cynergy Movie Theatre, where a Police SUV manages to nick the van and set it into a spin. More shots are fired and more cops wounded. Several civilians hit at this time. Perp is killed by Police gunfire.
Now, Assuming you're out there, on the road; walking the dog; waiting for the kids at the movie theatre and you're carrying a lawful piece. What actions would you take, in light of the 2A and Right of Self Defense.
I'll admit to being totally deaf and blind. Police scanners are utterly useless nowadays, since they all went to Secret Squirrel comms . . . so you'd not know anything was happening, anywhere, and certainly wouldn't know what you were seeing. Siren noise would have caught your attention, but that's 'white noise' any more. My honest response is "None". I can think of no appropriate opportunity to use the weapon at my command, given the conditions.
Now, had he evaded the trap and was fleeing on foot . . . there's crowds of Moviegoers in the parking lot, so I'd probably just call for indirect fire, HE fused VT for airburst. Bound to get somebody! He's bound to be one of 'em.
Hey, they want martial law, they get martial law!
--4Branch
