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Neighbors of Texas Gunman Feared He May Shoot Them if Provoked

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A neighbor of the gunman who killed seven people in West Texas says her family was afraid of him.

Rocio Gutierrez told reporters that 36-year-old Seth Ator would go out at night shooting at animals and they feared he might start shooting at them. The gunman's neighbor says he was "a violent, aggressive person".

An FBI special agent says an investigation in the aftermath of the shooting reveals the suspect's residence was a "strange" place that reflected "what his mental stage was going into this."

The gunman was killed by police outside an Odessa movie theater on Saturday after opening fire on state troopers during a traffic stop and then fleeing, shooting at random passers-by and vehicles.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted that the man had previously failed a gun purchase background check in Texas and didn't go through a background check for the gun used in Odessa.

A GoFundMe was set up for Anderson Davis who was hit with a bullet fragment. The little girl's mother recently wrote, "Anderson is alive and that is a prayer answered bigger than I've ever had to pray."

The campaign has raised $217,055 of its $300,000 goal. 

Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said Ator had been fired on Saturday from Journey Oilfield Services.
  
Someone from the company called 911 after the man was dismissed but he had left the location by the time police arrived. 

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About The Author

Andrea Morris
Andrea
Morris

Andrea Morris is a Features Producer for The 700 Club. She came to CBN in 2019 where she worked as a web producer in the news department for three years. Her passion was always to tell human interest stories that would touch the hearts of readers while connecting them with God. She transitioned into her new role with The 700 Club in August 2022.