Shooting in Midland marks 23rd mass shooting Texas this year

AUSTIN, Texas — An investigation is underway after a gunman in Midland killed one person and injured 10 others on Friday. It marks the 23rd mass shooting reported in Texas since the beginning of the year, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.

The Gun Violence Archive is an independent research organization which defines a mass shooting as a shooting in which four or more people shot at the same time and location, not including the shooter.

The count in Texas reached a peak in 2023, when Gun Violence Archive data shows Texas had 65 reported mass shootings. By 2025, the count had dropped to 37 mass shooting incidents in the state.

The shooting in West Texas has prompted condolences from Texas state leaders and renewed calls from advocates for more action to address gun violence.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz praised the response from law enforcement. “We are grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders who moved swiftly to protect the community,” he wrote Friday.

Austin-area gubernatorial candidate and State Rep. Gina Hinojosa also credited first responders, saying their efforts “undoubtedly saved lives.”

Nicole Golden, executive director of Texas Gun Sense, an anti-gun violence advocacy group, spoke with CBS Austin on Saturday.

“Our initial reaction is always empathy for the victims and survivors and anyone affected by this horrible, traumatic tragedy.” Golden added, “ We’re, just like everybody else, waiting to hear a bit more information about the exact circumstances, but what we do know is this shouldn’t be normal.”

1 dead, 10 injured during shooting in Midland, shooter is dead

The shooting came as Texas continues to see repeated incidents of mass gun violence. In Austin, a March mass shooting at Buford’s on West Sixth Street left three victims dead and 15 others injured. In April, a shooting in East Austin left six people with injuries. In May, a cross-town shooting spree left four people injured.

Despite the recent local examples, Golden pointed to community-based efforts as one area showing promise.

“What we know is working is the growing ecosystem of community violence intervention programs that are working to stop the cycle of violence in communities that are hardest hit.” But she said more progress is needed, adding, “What we haven’t seen and we want to continue working toward is a similar reduction in gun homicides. There’s just a lot more work we need to do to bring down the numbers of gun deaths overall.”

Aust Public Health officials have also been weighing additional prevention strategies. APH shared a report with the mayor and City Council this week outlining several violence prevention recommendations focused on youth development, mental health and economic opportunity.