AUSTIN, Texas — August 31 marks the second anniversary of the Midland-Odessa mass shooting.
To mark the somber day, Governor Greg Abbott issued the following statement:
Two years ago today, the Midland-Odessa community suffered a horrific tragedy when a shooter took the lives of seven innocent Texans and injured dozens more. This senseless act of violence marked a very dark period for Midland-Odessa, and we will never forget our fellow Texans whose lives were taken that day. In the wake of this attack, Texans across our state came together to support their brothers and sisters grieving in Midland and Odessa, and the state took immediate action to help prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Today, and every day, we remember and honor the lives lost in Midland-Odessa two years ago. We also continue to pray for the victims' families and loved ones, and we thank the brave men and women of law enforcement who bravely responded to the attack that day. Together we will continue to work toward a safer and brighter future for all Texans.
Abbott recently signed into law the Active Shooter Alert bill, also known as the Leilah Hernandez Act. This bill will create an alert system in order to send out a "Leilah Alert", similar to Amber or Blue Alerts, that will warn Texans if an active shooter is reported in the area.
The act is named after the youngest victim killed in the shootings.
For more information on memorial events concerning the anniversary or how to honor the victims, you can click or tap here.