Crime
Lockdown at Odessa Nimitz Middle School Lifted Following Hoax Threat
Students at Nimitz Middle School are being released one at a time to parents.
Odessa, TX – The scene at Nimitz Middle School has been cleared, and there was no evidence of a gun or shooter. The Ector County Independent School District (ECISD) has lifted the lockdown.
Parents can now pick up their children from the school. Police are investigating the incident as a hoax intended to cause panic.
The district commends Nimitz parents for their calm and patience during the lockdown.
According to reports, students at Nimitz Middle School were released one at a time to parents. The lockdown was initiated after ECISD received reports of someone with a gun on campus.
However, the district could not verify the authenticity of the report at the time.
The Odessa Police Department (OPD) responded to the scene with multiple units to assist with crowd control.
Crime
River Ridge man kills wife, 2-year-old before Jefferson Parish deputies kill him
Sheriff Lopinto described the 911 call as critical to the rapid response and praised the child who called as “a brave little girl.”
Sheriff Joseph Lopinto of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) announced an ongoing investigation into a tragic incident involving a double homicide and a deputy-involved shooting early Friday morning in River Ridge, Louisiana.
Around 4:00 a.m., deputies responded to a 911 call from a child reporting multiple gunshot victims inside a residence on the 10000 block of Stephen Drive.
Upon arrival, deputies discovered a harrowing scene.
An adult female and a 2-year-old child were found unresponsive and suffering from fatal gunshot wounds.
Two additional juvenile females, ages 9 and 13, were found injured but alive.
Both were transported to Children’s Hospital.
The 9-year-old remains in critical condition after undergoing surgery, while the 13-year-old sustained a gunshot wound to the ankle.
While securing the residence, deputies encountered an armed adult male suspect, later identified as the father of the juvenile victims, in a back bedroom.
Deputies reported that the suspect brandished a firearm, prompting multiple officers to fire their service weapons.
The suspect was struck multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.
Preliminary evidence indicates that the suspect shot all four victims before being confronted and fatally wounded by deputies.
Sheriff Lopinto described the 911 call as critical to the rapid response and praised the child who called as “a brave little girl.”
- Deceased:
- 40-year-old mother.
- 2-year-old child.
- Suspect (father).
- Injured:
- 9-year-old child (critical condition).
- 13-year-old child (non-life-threatening injuries).
The JPSO continues to investigate the incident, including the circumstances leading to the shootings and the actions of deputies at the scene.
Sheriff Lopinto emphasized the gravity of the tragedy and assured the community that the investigation would be thorough and transparent.
No further details are available at this time. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.