The death toll in the drive-by mass shooting incident in the West Texas cities of Midland and Odessa on Saturday has risen to 7 after two more people died overnight while undergoing treatment, the authorities said on Sunday.
The shooter has been identified as 36-year-old Seth Ator, according to multiple federal and local law enforcement officials. While the motive for the attack is yet to be ascertained, the investigators have ruled out any possible connection to domestic or international terrorism, CNN reported.
"There are no definitive answers as to motive or reasons at this point," Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said.
The incident occurred at around 3:13 pm (local time) when an armed man hijacked a mail truck and began to open fire at motorists on Interstate 20 and Highway 191, which connects the cities of Midland and Odessa.
The chain of events leading to the shooting began after a Department of Public Safety officer pulled over a vehicle on an interstate highway on Saturday afternoon. The man inside the vehicle shot the officer, took off, and started shooting randomly.
The police chief added that the suspect used an AR-type weapon in the shooting, albeit the investigation is still underway as to how he obtained the firearm.
The 22 people injured in the incident include three law enforcement officers and a 17-month-old girl. The identities of the deceased have not been made public, but they range in ages 15 to 57.
Vice President Mike Pence told reporters Saturday that he and President Donald Trump remain "absolutely determined to work with leaders in both parties and the Congress to take such steps so that we can address and confront this scourge of mass atrocities," The New York Times reported.
The incident has rekindled the debate over gun laws in the United States, which has witnessed several incidences of mass-shooting in the past few months, including the deadly El-Paso attack in the state of Texas.
( With inputs from ANI )